Tailwheels

[sideslip]

Any tailwheel pilots out there? I got my endorsement earlier this year and am having a blast flying the low and slow planes. A stick seems so natural that I really prefer it to a yoke any day. I Started in a Champ and a J-3 and now fly (rental) a 150 hp Super Cub. What a preformer the Super Cub is.
Also have been luckly enought to fly in a Waco UPF7, a Stearman, and the most unusual one, a Helio Currier H295.

The tailwheel flying has really improved my nosewheel flying, especially the landings.

Anybody else like to share their tailwheel experiences?

Mike

[skid]

I got a ride in a 7AC about 15 years ago and got bitten by the tailwheel bug. I bought and old Luscombe and learned more about flying in 400 hours than you could ever learn in a nose dragger. I still think it is funny to see a 10,000 airline pilot turn his nose up at the old luscombe until he yells for you to take it halfway through his second swerve on takeoff.There is nothing hard about tailwheel aircraft,but there are some people that never develop the mindset to be a good tw pilot. Its is something you almost can't teach;they either figure it out or they don't. I don't know if a little bit of tailwheel time will improve the avg guys skills but I do know that after a couple hundred landings in a single seat Pitts you will never sweat about any tricycle gear landing situation ever again. The goal is to always be competent, confident,and attentive; never allow yourself to overconfident or complacent. Perhaps another reason to like tailwheel is that there are some truly wonderful airplanes you cannot enjoy unless you are tailwheel competent. There are no squirrely airplanes, only squirrely pilots.

[sideslip]

Skid: Thanks for the post. I think any pilot will gain from some tailwheel time. As you know you have to pay close attention when on the ground. As has been said before, you have to fly a tailwheel until it is tied down.

Today was a beautiful day in Wisconsin and late this afternoon I rented a Super Cub on skis. I proceeded to fly to a local marsh and practice landings on the snow covered ice. In about 40 minutes I had 15 landings and a great afternoon.

I started my tailwheel training in a 7AC that was on skis then used a J-3 on wheels to finish.

[HighFLyer]

Sideslip,
Where in WI are you from. I grew up in Princeton, not far from Oshkosh, but am now going to school in Minnesota!

[sideslip]

Highflyer: I'm located in New Holstein, Wi. It is 20 miles east of Oshkosh. The FBO/CFI here has a web site http://customcubs.com and it shows a few of the planes that I rent there. If you are home this summer you should come over and we can do some flying.

Mike Sherman.

[draggin in]

yea, tailwheel pilots know it isn't over until its &$#@*& over when landing, and taking off. I love to slip those babies, and drag em in. During my season I make so many take offs and landings, I try new things, like flying straight and level with just the trim and rudders, try it its neat, and I make landing fun by trying to touch the mains right at a stall while draggin in, kinda just gauging since the first 2/3 of my strip usually gets rutted and giant potholes due to farmers coming in to book work after a big rain. later