TW Endorsement Completed

[[email protected]]

After about eight hours I completed the tailwheel endorsement today in
the SD. But it certainly wasn't routine as the wind was coming out of
the North at about 15kts gusting to about 20kts, and we were using
Runway 7. I noticed a strong weathervaning tendency while taxiing,
which required a lot more rudder than usual. But it was especially
strong once the wheels were off the ground and I had to work hard and
fast to counteract it and stay on the extended centerline. This would
have certainly been easier with a DG, but hey, who needs a DG or AI?

The trips around the pattern required every bit of concentration I
could muster due not only to an appreciable amount of turbulence due to
the ridges, but there were also a number of gliders and slower planes
in the pattern as well. In fact my first landing resulted in a go
around due to a glider that had yet to be removed from the runway.
Today also tested my crosswind abilities on approach and while the
landings weren't all pretty, they weren't too bad given the conditions.
Plus my girlfriend was watching from the ground so I'm sure that added
to the pressure. After about six trips around the pattern I was
completely exhausted. Earlier this week we did pattern work for two
hours and I walked away feeling a lot less whipped than I did today.

But my instructor told me that there was little more he could teach me
and that next time I could take it up solo. We'll probably resume acro
next lesson and maybe I'll take it up afterwards. Thanks to everyone in
the groups who provided encouragement and advice. I feel like a
post-solo private student again, and realize that I still have a lot to
learn.

Dave

[BTIZ]

sounds great Dave..

always nice to see some crosswind during training...

where in SD where you that there were gliders there?

BT

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> After about eight hours I completed the tailwheel endorsement today in
> the SD. But it certainly wasn't routine as the wind was coming out of
> the North at about 15kts gusting to about 20kts, and we were using
> Runway 7. I noticed a strong weathervaning tendency while taxiing,
> which required a lot more rudder than usual. But it was especially
> strong once the wheels were off the ground and I had to work hard and
> fast to counteract it and stay on the extended centerline. This would
> have certainly been easier with a DG, but hey, who needs a DG or AI?
>
> The trips around the pattern required every bit of concentration I
> could muster due not only to an appreciable amount of turbulence due to
> the ridges, but there were also a number of gliders and slower planes
> in the pattern as well. In fact my first landing resulted in a go
> around due to a glider that had yet to be removed from the runway.
> Today also tested my crosswind abilities on approach and while the
> landings weren't all pretty, they weren't too bad given the conditions.
> Plus my girlfriend was watching from the ground so I'm sure that added
> to the pressure. After about six trips around the pattern I was
> completely exhausted. Earlier this week we did pattern work for two
> hours and I walked away feeling a lot less whipped than I did today.
>
> But my instructor told me that there was little more he could teach me
> and that next time I could take it up solo. We'll probably resume acro
> next lesson and maybe I'll take it up afterwards. Thanks to everyone in
> the groups who provided encouragement and advice. I feel like a
> post-solo private student again, and realize that I still have a lot to
> learn.
>
> Dave
>

[[email protected]]

BTIZ,

Sorry, SD stands for Super Decathlon in this case.

Dave

[Cub Driver]

On 7 May 2005 21:23:23 -0700, " >
wrote:

>the SD. But it certainly wasn't routine as the wind was coming out of
>the North at about 15kts gusting to about 20kts, and we were using

You did good! I generally won't fly if the wind is such as to shake
the Cub on the ground, and that's well below 20 knots.

Indeed, I generally won't leave for the airport if the tree branches
are moving, which is about 15 mph in my experience.

A tailwheel endorsement locally is usually 8-10 hours. Pretty funny,
really, when you consider that Piper salesmen in the 1940s/1950s used
to persuade local businessmen to club together and buy a Cub by
proving how easy it was to learn to fly. This they would do by picking
out the local high-school athlete (figuring he had good reflexes) and
soloing him in one day.

(Presumably they picked a calm day!)


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

[BTIZ]

> A tailwheel endorsement locally is usually 8-10 hours. Pretty funny,
> really, when you consider that Piper salesmen in the 1940s/1950s used
> to persuade local businessmen to club together and buy a Cub by
> proving how easy it was to learn to fly. This they would do by picking
> out the local high-school athlete (figuring he had good reflexes) and
> soloing him in one day.
>
> (Presumably they picked a calm day!)
>
>
> -- all the best, Dan Ford

Dan.. I did my first tailwheel in the same Cubs you fly at Hampton... I
already had my Pvt Rating... and it took about 3 hours.. but that was before
the days of "endorsements"

BT

[gregg]

BTIZ wrote:


> Dan.. I did my first tailwheel in the same Cubs you fly at Hampton... I
> already had my Pvt Rating... and it took about 3 hours.. but that was
> before the days of "endorsements"
>
> BT


I started my TW endorsement late last Fall at the very same Hampton, in the
very same Cubs. Had to stop becasue even on clear calm days, it was far too
cold for the poor old J-3's.

Was sched to start again this weekend but a rowdy Northeaster put a stop to
that.

--
Saville

Replicas of 15th-19th century nautical navigational instruments:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/backstaffhome.html

Restoration of my 82 year old Herreshoff S-Boat sailboat:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/SBOATrestore.htm

Steambending FAQ with photos:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/Steambend.htm

[Dave Stadt]

"Cub Driver" > wrote in message
...
> On 7 May 2005 21:23:23 -0700, " >
> wrote:
>
> >the SD. But it certainly wasn't routine as the wind was coming out of
> >the North at about 15kts gusting to about 20kts, and we were using
>
> You did good! I generally won't fly if the wind is such as to shake
> the Cub on the ground, and that's well below 20 knots.
>
> Indeed, I generally won't leave for the airport if the tree branches
> are moving, which is about 15 mph in my experience.
>
> A tailwheel endorsement locally is usually 8-10 hours. Pretty funny,
> really, when you consider that Piper salesmen in the 1940s/1950s used
> to persuade local businessmen to club together and buy a Cub by
> proving how easy it was to learn to fly. This they would do by picking
> out the local high-school athlete (figuring he had good reflexes) and
> soloing him in one day.

It wasn't a day it was more like 2 or 3 hours.

[pullinggs]

wrote:
> After about eight hours I completed the tailwheel endorsement today
in
> the SD. But it certainly wasn't routine as the wind was coming out of
> the North at about 15kts gusting to about 20kts, and we were using
> Runway 7.

Congratulations, and well done! If you were shooting landings with
15G20 at 70 degrees off the runway, you are officially a taildragger
pilot. I know the Super D will do more than that (it's much more
capable than I am!), but it's no fun anymore at that point and I avoid
it whenever there is *any* reasonable alternative.

-Dave Russell
8KCAB/N2S-3