Tail Dragger Endo

[Compulsion]

I am thinking of buying a tail dragger. Unfortunately it is seemingly impossible to get a tail dragger endorsement in or around SA. I know Aldinga do them but I am hoping not to pay $375/hour to get it. Can anyone help around SA with advice. I am also hoping it is only around 1 hour to get provided I prove competent.

 

 

[aj_richo]

I thought Sport Cub was $235/hr ?

 

I flew with them recently to regain my TW endorsement, no where else within an hour or so of Adelaide I'm afraid.

 

 

[Compulsion]

How long did it take to get your endorsement done? Is there a max weight limit for pilots on this aircraft?

 

 

[aj_richo]

I had 130hrs on a 95:10 taildragger in my logbook but hadn't flown it for 9 years.

 

took me 3 hours to get back into the swing of it... or should I say out of the swing? (boom boom) (its a tailwheel thing)

 

Max pilot weight? mmm, not sure.. if you are at 200kg maybe.. I think from memory MTOW is 600Kg.

 

 

[aj_richo]

PS I think Karl mentioned if the front pilot is too light there can be a W&B problem

 

 

[peter]

I am under 70 kg and was fine in the front of the cub. Did my TW endorsement at Aldinga a couple of years ago, took me around 7-8 hours I think, to get the RAAus endorsement inthe Sport Cub, solo in the Super Cub and get a feel for the SuperDecathlon. I had never been in a TW aircraft before that. I really enjoyed the whole experience and will be heading back for more training before I get the Onex flying,

 

Cheers Peter

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

I am thinking of buying a tail dragger. Unfortunately it is seemingly impossible to get a tail dragger endorsement in or around SA.

Yes this is a problem I found also, Aldinga are significant $ and quite weight limited. If you are confident with the purchase you are considering the most cost effective way would be to buy and be trained in your own aircraft assuming not 19.

 

 

[nickduncs84]

It's all relative. IMHO Aldinga is good value for money all things considered. Good range of aircraft, minimal taxi time, great instructors. Cheaper and much better quality than anything at Parafield. Sports cub may end up being $100 an hour more than a Jabiru, but the endo will only take 6 or 7 hours as others have said. You will also come out of it as a much better and safer pilot. Just my opinion, but I'm glad I did it. You could do it in the super cub and get your RPL with controlled airspace endo signed off at the same time I believe.

 

 

[Dafydd Llewellyn]

If you've never flown a tailwheel aircraft, go do a couple of hours in a glider first - that will get your feet working. MUCH cheaper that $375/hr. You need go no further than Gawler.

 

 

[metalman]

If you're keen they have a Eurofox at Lilydale , $150 ph solo,not sure how much for the dual , and it's tricky enough to give you a good training experience. I ,along with a lot of GA pilots, did the endorsement in a citabria which is a lovely ,well behaved taildragger,,,,,,completely unlike any other taildragger I've flown since !

 

 

[Teckair]

I am also hoping it is only around 1 hour to get provided I prove competent.

Good luck with that.

 

 

[poteroo]

I am thinking of buying a tail dragger. Unfortunately it is seemingly impossible to get a tail dragger endorsement in or around SA. I know Aldinga do them but I am hoping not to pay $375/hour to get it. Can anyone help around SA with advice. I am also hoping it is only around 1 hour to get provided I prove competent.

I've conducted a massive number of t/w endorsements since starting them in C180's back in 1969. I can confidently tell you that only 1 person ever flew well enough for me to send him for solo circuits after 1 hr dual. (he had over 8000 hrs of mustering in a C172, and he knew how to fly in balance). Please don't think of your t/w training in terms of how cheaply it can be achieved. You need to be exposed to every possible scenario while in dual flying, especially the crosswind handling, and the how/when/where and why of 'wheel' landings. A groundloop accident can happen so quickly. Repairing your aircraft is going to cost heaps more than the extra dollars you'll pay to get a comprehensive t/w endorsement.

 

happy days,

 

 

[metalman]

I am also hoping it is only around 1 hour to get provided I prove competent.

I didn't read that bit,,,,mmmm yeh nice thought but you may need a rethink, an hour wouldn't even get the average pilot competent with three pointers, then there's wheelers ,xwinds and just getting your mind awake for taxiing , it's not the sort of thing you should be putting a set time on. It's not too difficult but it takes stick time to get your feet and mind working a little different to how most tricycle pilots are used to

 

 

[Soleair]

I second Dafydd's suggestion.

 

It's worth going gliding for its own sake, but it will certainly make a better taildragger pilot of most.

 

Bruce

 

 

[flyerme]

I travelled to benalla vic" falcon hawk flying school" ,training is in a thruster @ $150hr from take off to landing. ( Free caravan accommodation .)Or much cheaper in own certified trainer.Best value... But better lube up the knee joints cause you are going to be pedaling.

 

5 - 6 hr drive from murray bridge. Hope this helps

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

I was told doing around 200 tw landings is recommended for familiarity, would depend upon the aircraft though I imagine.

 

 

[nickduncs84]

tailwheel in a nice gentle headwind, about 10 landings should have you feeling pretty cocky. tailwheel in a 15kt gusty crosswind and I get the feeling that it will be a long time before it doesn't feel like a new adventure every time!

 

 

[geoffreywh]

a 15 knot crosswind would be beyond many taildraggers recommended (POH) crosswind max. Thus illegal!....If I were confronted with a crosswind like that I may well go somewhere else!

 

 

[nickduncs84]

15 kt is the max xwind component in a pa18 from what I understand, but I was referring to actual wind strength which was around 15 kt at the time. Pretty normal for Aldinga but normally not an issue with all the runway choices.

 

 

[metalman]

a 15 knot crosswind would be beyond many taildraggers recommended (POH) crosswind max. Thus illegal!....If I were confronted with a crosswind like that I may well go somewhere else!

Now it gets interesting, most POH will have a " demonstrated crosswind " figure, some may have it written differently ,but it's not illegal to land with more than the demonstrated cross wind

Citabria/decathalon----17knots

 

Gazelle -----20knots

 

Maule M5 ----14knots

 

Savage cub ---15knots

 

Eurofox----15knots (this was off another source)

 

I've landed my aircraft in 25knots crosswind and although it's not something I'd go looking for the aircraft is quite capable of it, 10-15knots is very much within the ability of the aircraft,

 

 

[Teckair]

The manual for the Lightwing I fly states not to take off or land with any more than 10 knots of crosswind but it can handle double that amount.

 

 

[geoffreywh]

sorry , not illegal, just ill advised, My POH says 12 knots @ 90 degrees. I have landed at that, but it was very exciting!

 

 

[Ryanm]

An hour in the Cubcrafters Cub is $235 not $375.... from their website.

 

 

[facthunter]

What crosswind can be coped with is dependent on aircraft control capability and pilot skill and currency. When you push the limits you need an element of luck as well. Nev

 

 

[Dafydd Llewellyn]

And if the wind is REALLY strong, it's possible (with care) to land ACROSS the strip. I've had to do this on occasion in my Auster. Tends to get people excited at a controlled aerodrome, though I've seen a Caribou practicing this at Richmond.