Fri Apr 06, 2018 8:51 pm
#1603061
Following on form the discussion on the GA board about the Yak 3 incident, I have just started my tail wheel converstion at Waltham and had a great first flight.
I passed my Skills test in September last year and a tail wheel conversion has been high on the priority list ever since. I bit the bullet and signed up for a 5 hour course with the first flight this evening in good if a little breezy conditions.
Having done a walkround of the Cub and digested the useful written information on the differences between tail and tricycle we started off with some ground manoeuvers, keeping it straight, turning on the spot and so on but ensuring that the ailerons / elevators were always in the right place with respect the wind direction.
My instructor carried out the first take off with a cross wind around 30 to 40 degrees off the nose and then handed the plane over. The quirky Ford Cortina trim handle is obviously used a lot more than in the Warrior but my overall impression was that the Cub is more responsive and ultimately more rewarding to fly than a Warrior if you get your hands and feet working together.
We did a few stalls, some slow flight (50mph IAS with a 25 to 30mph head wind makes the world go by really slowly ) and then some medium and steep turns with a very quick PFL thrown in before heading back to the airfield.
The FI took over for the last 100 feet and carried out a 3 point landing and we lined up for another take off. This time it was 80% me and felt pretty good. I flew the circuit and the FI took over again for a wheeler to demonstrate the differences between the two.
After getting reminded to keept the stick back a couple of times we got back to the clubhouse and shutdown. It took a while to get the smile off my face and I have to say I am really looking forward to next weeks installment.
Heres to a change in the cr**py weather and no cancellations.
I passed my Skills test in September last year and a tail wheel conversion has been high on the priority list ever since. I bit the bullet and signed up for a 5 hour course with the first flight this evening in good if a little breezy conditions.
Having done a walkround of the Cub and digested the useful written information on the differences between tail and tricycle we started off with some ground manoeuvers, keeping it straight, turning on the spot and so on but ensuring that the ailerons / elevators were always in the right place with respect the wind direction.
My instructor carried out the first take off with a cross wind around 30 to 40 degrees off the nose and then handed the plane over. The quirky Ford Cortina trim handle is obviously used a lot more than in the Warrior but my overall impression was that the Cub is more responsive and ultimately more rewarding to fly than a Warrior if you get your hands and feet working together.
We did a few stalls, some slow flight (50mph IAS with a 25 to 30mph head wind makes the world go by really slowly ) and then some medium and steep turns with a very quick PFL thrown in before heading back to the airfield.
The FI took over for the last 100 feet and carried out a 3 point landing and we lined up for another take off. This time it was 80% me and felt pretty good. I flew the circuit and the FI took over again for a wheeler to demonstrate the differences between the two.
After getting reminded to keept the stick back a couple of times we got back to the clubhouse and shutdown. It took a while to get the smile off my face and I have to say I am really looking forward to next weeks installment.
Heres to a change in the cr**py weather and no cancellations.