Tailwheel/Taildragger Training

Learn to fly our beautiful 1946 Aeronca Champ

We are one of the few schools to offer tailwheel training. Getting a tailwheel (conventional gear) endorsement in your logbook is an excellent way to do a flight review or brush up on your flying skills — and in the end, you will be a better pilot. Our 1946 Aeronca Champ is easy to handle and lots of fun to fly! Our Champ also qualifies as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) for Sport Pilot training.

Why Fly Tailwheel?
Some people have compared learning to fly tailwheel, more commonly called "taildraggers" (conventional gear) aircraft to a religious conversion. Tailwheel "converts" seem to have a different gait to their walk. These fliers claim to be able to grease crosswind landings in tricycle gear airplanes EVERY time. They say they are more aware of the feel of an airplane. They even say they have discovered the real meaning of "rudder." Are these attributes true? Have tailwheel pilots discovered something worth knowing?

The only way for you to really know is to try it. But what we can tell you for sure is that the pilots receiving tailwheel endorsements in their logbooks are seeking to challenge and improve their flying skills — they are willing to take their stick and rudder skills to a higher level. At the same time, they want to experience some old-fashioned fun flying.

TakeWING's Tailwheel Transition Course
Your tailwheel training will take place in a 1946 Aeronca Champ with a Continental 85 horsepower engine. Champs are well known for their easy handling.

Tailwheel Transition Course Training Time
Our 10-hour training program integrates flight and ground training. We believe that 10 hours is a reasonable goal, and it should be interpreted as our minimum. However, every pilot comes to us with a different basis of ability and experience. In some cases, 15 to 20 hours may be needed before some pilots are safe to carry passengers. Ten hours is also the minimum requirement for tailwheel rental by most FBOs and insurance companies.

We encourage you to complete our tailwheel transition course in as concentrated a period of time as possible for maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This can be done by flying once a day for 7 to 10 days or for several hours (with breaks) over a couple of days.

For information on instruction rates, FAA testing, TakeWING's Flying Club, or to schedule a specialized training, you can find us at: (541) 510-7049 (Eugene office) or (541) 895-5935 (Creswell office) — or drop us an e-mail. TakeWING is based at the Creswell Airport (77S) just 11 miles south of Eugene, Oregon.