kaz3g Posted July 10, 2012 Posted July 10, 2012 Hey Merv I saw a Jab with a TW a while back... You could try that, perhaps? Kaz 1
Deskpilot Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 love em...Just sold my 2 single seat tail draggers (thruster and supercat)and bought a tail dragging lightwing......sweet can,t weight to take a pax... Blimey, that came with no warning. Only a few days ago you were waxing lyrical about your Supercat.
facthunter Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 They are not going to be" it" for everybody, but a small percentage will prefer them. Some threads in the past have ended up asserting that tailwheel pilots are elitist and full of BS. That's a bit unfair and unnecessary. They are a more challenging proposition, but have a place as simpler stronger, lighter, better for rough field conditions or just for people who accept the challenge to be active on the rudder on the ground. Planes spend most of their usefull time in the air. Prior to the late 50's there were practically NO tricycle undercariage planes anyhow. The nosewheel is a weak point on smaller aircraft structurally, so if you don't need it it is something less to worry about and maintain. Nev 2
flyerme Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 Blimey, that came with no warning. Only a few days ago you were waxing lyrical about your Supercat. hey Doug,fate is a funny thing....yep all came as a welcomed suprise to me,,,was looking at a thruster 2 seat as my son hassles me daily to go up, but as a fellow aviator in need of a plane contacted me,I generously offered the supercat to him which would enable me to get somthing a bit more exspensive. the lightwing (in which Locky whome is buying my supercat found for me..thanks mate im glad the supercat is going to a good home with you.)youll love it !!! better to have another pilot with there own aircraft instead of me being greedy with 2..I certainly can,t fly them both?,so decision made and the supercat (my dream plane and make believe crop duster) will end up in Qld and by chance Not far from where the thruster is heading..lol Makes me happy to help some fellow aviators enjoy the pride of owning there own Plane. whilst I'll enjoy the responibilty of a pax. MY son .congrats guys
winsor68 Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 IMO opinion... and it must count for something having spent almost a week living out of one.... Howard Hughes original Lightwing is a bloody beaut aircraft. Really the ultimate Aussie Bush plane.... should be more of them about... 1 1
flyerme Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 IMO opinion... and it must count for something having spent almost a week living out of one.... Howard Hughes original Lightwing is a bloody beaut aircraft. Really the ultimate Aussie Bush plane.... should be more of them about... Thats great to hear Winsor68 as mine is number 004... and I hate the thought of selling 2 good planes and ending up with somthing less...Im glad to hear the early ones are a good thing . My research tells me I made a wise choice in the lightwing and I just can,t wait to pick her up..2-3 weeks and she'll be hear...a lil longer and my hanger will be clear 1
winsor68 Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 Wasn't there whisperings of a Lightwing online for training at Emerald... ?
Doug Evans Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 Thats great to hear Winsor68 as mine is number 004... and I hate the thought of selling 2 good planes and ending up with somthing less...Im glad to hear the early ones are a good thing . My research tells me I made a wise choice in the lightwing and I just can,t wait to pick her up..2-3 weeks and she'll be hear...a lil longer and my hanger will be clear my 0032 is the first certified lightwing put into production witch I am rebuilding through Carlo Prete will be prould as punch when we get her airborne she as a history of being the first on floats & also the army flew her from east to west australia and back again back in the early days of ultralights days ......she be my second lightwing that I have owned I had 0229 who now lives at insfail 1
David Isaac Posted July 11, 2012 Posted July 11, 2012 If you have never flown a tail wheel aircraft beware. Once you fly one there is a distinct possibility you will catch 'Taildraggers disease' it is contagious, so don't hang around too many of us Tailwheel pilots either. Seriously though there is a distinct possibility you will fall in love with the challenge, instead of just pointing the aircraft down the runway and opening the throttle ... from the moment the throttle is advanced all the fun and excitement begins especially if you get to fly some of the bigger singles like the C185 with 300HP up on two wheels or one wheel in a stiff crosswind take off ... nothing quite like it. Oh and by the way, did anyone tell you they actually fly better than a tricycle aircraft ... true actually; they only have two dunlops dangling in the breeze and will have a few more knots on the three wheel versions ... true story. I love them, especially the ones that challenge you. The truth is they are just waiting for you to become complacent and then they will remind you who is boss. Can you tell ... I love flying tail wheel aircraft. 3 1
Doug Evans Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Now this is good lookin MY old Girl ..............
Thirsty Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 I got my TD endo a few months ago on our GR582 Lightwing and I find I am agreeing with David - I probably prefer flying the LW now as opposed to the Jabs I normally fly. There is definately something about the TD that makes the whole thing a lot more fun. BTW - RPA at Murray Bridge have the LW on line at present so any Adelaidians can come get the endo! 1
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Maddog, Yes had a look at a Eurofox at Chinchilla recently. Must say I was very impressed all round. the main-landing gear and tailwheel are very robust, and the general overall quality was definitly a big step up from the Gazzelle or Skyfox. Cabin is huge and very well appointed, a very purposefull looking aircraft !.....................Maj...
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Resting while I work on a cattle station........I'm fiddling with another plane...
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Late friday return to Montpelier after my weekly Shute Harbor commute..................................
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 At play on the weekend...last years' Lakeside fly-in..........
Riley Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Certainly not intending to put down any of the lovely 'newby' taildraggers pictured in this thread (currently own & fly L/Wing GR912) but if we're talking pretty, have a dekko at this sweet little number (and it got a hell of a lot sweeter when it was brought unto the RAA register as a '25' series rego under the new weight limits). 1946 Aeronca Champ 7AC w/ 85hp Cont. I'm too old for lust but I'm certainly in love again (with my wife's permission) 2
PapaFox Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 After initial training in a Gazelle, I then tried on a couple of Jabs, moved onto a Tecnam Sierra, and then finally lost the training wheel when we finished our bird. Fast forward to now, and I can say the majority of my flying has been in a taildragger. There's just something sweet about them 3
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Yes Riley, The Airknocker Champ and Chief are two of my favorites also. I once had the pleasure of putting a very original Chief back into the air that needed some serious love. I still remember the absolute simplicity of the design.......but surely (don't call me surley !) the most beautifull TD of them all has to be the classic and rare Monocoupe 110 special ?????..(google it !).........................................Maj...
Riley Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Yes Riley, The Airknocker Champ and Chief are two of my favorites also. I once had the pleasure of putting a very original Chief back into the air that needed some serious love. I still remember the absolute simplicity of the design.......but surely (don't call me surley !) the most beautifull TD of them all has to be the classic and rare Monocoupe 110 special ?????..(google it !).........................................Maj... Maj. I googled & I concur however, take your age & add my age and divide by two and you're bound to find a bracket full of whole bunch of geezers who reckon that anything with a high wing, radial power plant, tractor configuration and a tailwheel (or tail ski, I recall as a kid) such as the Monocoupe is beyoodiful. Even more so if it drips/oozes oil all over everything. Love em! 1
kaz3g Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Here !!!........... Yes, Maj... if I end up unable to fly the Auster because of fuel and maintenance costs, I'll be looking for a Lightwing just as pretty as your's is. There is a distant family connection for me, too. Howard's mother, Doris was my mum's cousin as best as I can recall. kaz
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