There seems to have developed a mystic about flying a tail dragger. The truth of the matter is really that the moment the tail is up and the tail wheel leaves the ground, you are flying an airplane and it matters not where your wheels are, front or back. I believe that you will learn during your taxi tests how to handle a tail wheeler.Read up on the subject. You will soon find that if you want good steering control you had better keep the stick well back to plant the tail wheel firmly on the runway. The application of rudder especially at higher speeds is different from that of a tricycle. You must watch very carefully for any change in direction and immediately reply with opposite rudder. I think it is here at this moment that one learns the difference in technique between the two types of geer. I tend to give a quick slap on the opposite rudder and immediately return to center.The "slap" is quite a large movement of the rudder pedal. You quickly learn how far and how long to hold the rudder deflection to keep the nose going straight down the runway. Some people suggest it looks like you are dancing on the rudder pedals. Start with slow taxi. learn how to apply differential braking for tight turns.Keep that stick back at all times.Learn how to "snake" your way down the taxiway so that you can see what is in front of you. Do higher speed taxi tests but keep the speed slow enough that you are not going to suddenly fly. Do a number of high speed taxi runs with the tail up, cut the power, gradually get the tail on the ground and hold it there with back stick. Finally on one of these high speed runs you will be up and off. It is at this moment that you realize that you are back to just plane flying an airplane. The fun will begin again when you decide to land. If you have memorized the attitude of the plane while taxiing, you have only to put it into the same position just over the runway and chop the power . As soon as the tailwheel is firmly planted, you are back to a high speed taxi test. All of this sounds simple but if you choose to do it under good wind conditions you should not have too much of a problem. Learning cross wind landings and all of the fancier things will come later after you are comfortable with the high speed taxi tests. So what if you spend 6 or 8 hours on the ground learning to precisely control the plane under all these "ground " conditions. This is part of the fun. There will probably be others that are going to take other view of this scenario, listen to them too. Check out the legals for your plane and for your country. Do what you feal is right for you.Ask for advice from all the taildragger pilots that you meet. Good luck. Harold Woods Orillia.ON.Canada haroldwo...@rogers.com
--- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.518 / Virus Database: 316 - Release Date: 9/11/2003
