“He was flying a German Klemm mono-plane equipped with a ninety-five horsepower British Pobjoy motor. If this combination had any virtue in such vast and unpredictable country, it was that the extraordinary wingspan of the plane allowed for long gliding range and slow landing speed.”— West With The Night, Beryl Markham
What is a Tailwheel Airplane (a.k.a. Taildragger)
Just like it sounds a tailwheel-equipped aircraft, also called "taildraggers" or conventional gear aircraft, have the third wheel attached below their tail instead of at the nose of the aircraft (that’s called a tricycle gear). In the old days airplanes were all equipped with a tailwheel, but If you have ever tried driving a shopping cart backwards, you’ll have some idea of why taildraggers can be more difficult to take off and land and why eventually engineers moved the tailwheel to the front of the airplane!
Why Fly Tailwheel?
Some people have compared learning to fly a tailwheel-equipped aircraft to a religious conversion. Tailwheel "converts" seem to have a different gait to their walk. They say they are more aware of the feel of an airplane. They even say they have discovered the real meaning of "rudder." Is this fact or myth? Have tailwheel pilots discovered something worth knowing?
The only way for you to really know is to do it. Pilots receiving tailwheel endorsements in their logbooks are seeking to challenge and improve their flying skills — they are willing to move their stick and rudder skills to a higher level. At the same time, they want to experience some old-fashioned fun flying.
What Aircraft Does TakeWING Use?
We are one of the few schools that still offer tailwheel training. You’ll train in our 1946 (85 hp) tandem seat Aeronca Champ. Champs are well known for their relatively tame takeoff and landing characteristics. Getting a tailwheel (conventional gear) endorsement in your logbook is an excellent way to brush up on your flying skills. Our Champ also qualifies as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA).
How Many Flight Hours Should You Expect?
We structure our training course around a minimum of 10 flight hours. However, every pilot comes to us with a different basis of ability and experience. In some cases, 15 to 20 flight hours may be needed before some pilots are safe to carry passengers.
How Long Will It Take?
We encourage you to complete our tailwheel transition course in as concentrated a period of time as possible for maximum learning efficiency and cost-effectiveness. One excellent way to do this is over a 3-day weekend. If you are coming from a distant location, there is a motel less than a mile from Creswell Airport.
For information on our specialized tailwheel training course contact us.
