Round the US tail dragger

sterlingmossy

sterlingmossy

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sterlingmossy
Hi, this is my first post here and I am hoping somebody can help.

After a lifetime of dreaming I got my PPL (172) last year and pretty soon after that my tailwheel (J3) and performance (182) endorsements. I am loving flying and learning and at the end of the month am going to the Finer Points mountain flying course in CA (182). After flying for about a year I have around 120 hours under my belt.

In a few years time I plan to retire and one of my dreams is to fly around the USA with my wife. I am from the UK and I met my wife riding a motorcycle from Sydney to London. She is up for an adventure and this time we are thinking a taildragger around the USA would be fun.

So my questions:

1. Which taildragger (assuming IFR)
2. Which general route (assuming it will change with the weather)
3. Which time of year (assuming it might take a month or two with stops).

I apologize in advance if this has been asked and answered. Feel free to refer me to the links.

Feel free to answer any or all of the questions if you are so inclined. Thanks in advance for your guidance and advice.

Cheers

David
 
Okay, I have to ask...

How do you ride a motorcycle from Sydney to London?
 
And did you do a 1200nm cross country before you got your PPL?
 
sterlingmossy said:
1. Which taildragger (assuming IFR)
2. Which general route (assuming it will change with the weather)
3. Which time of year (assuming it might take a month or two with stops).
Click to expand...

C180, AK to Black Hills to Biloxi to Key West, Start in Key West in May end up in AK in July....:)
 
sterlingmossy said:
1. Which taildragger (assuming IFR)
2. Which general route (assuming it will change with the weather)
3. Which time of year (assuming it might take a month or two with stops).
Click to expand...

1. I, of course, would suggest a biplane, but they generally don't make the best IFR platforms. Still, you might want to read Stephen Coonts' The Cannibal Queen and Richard Bach's Biplane for inspiration (two very different airplanes and eras).
2. Depends on what you want to see and where you want to stop.
3. Depends on #2.
 
What experience are you going for?

I mean you got the full 155kt IFR 185 experience

Or the following roads and rivers in a J3 or S108 or C170 VFR

If it's a bucket list, I'd do it in a Stinson, low and slow, follow the coasts down and the rivers and roads over, weather sucks, land and make friends and explore.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Okay, I have to ask...

How do you ride a motorcycle from Sydney to London?
Click to expand...
Ride Sydney to Fremantle overland. Pack and ship bike to Singapore (sail up to Singapore separately). Singapore to Bancok. Crate and fly to Nepal (can't go through Burma). Ride Nepal to India. Crate and fly to Syria (no visa for Iran in 1989). Syria to London (with a few ferries here and there).
 
Dana said:
1. I, of course, would suggest a biplane, but they generally don't make the best IFR platforms. Still, you might want to read Stephen Coonts' The Cannibal Queen and Richard Bach's Biplane for inspiration (two very different airplanes and eras).
2. Depends on what you want to see and where you want to stop.
3. Depends on #2.
Click to expand...
Thanks. on the reading list.
 
James331 said:
What experience are you going for?

I mean you got the full 155kt IFR 185 experience

Or the following roads and rivers in a J3 or S108 or C170 VFR

If it's a bucket list, I'd do it in a Stinson, low and slow, follow the coasts down and the rivers and roads over, weather sucks, land and make friends and explore.
Click to expand...
I was thinking Aviat Husky. Interested in why Stinson?
 
James331 said:
What experience are you going for?

I mean you got the full 155kt IFR 185 experience

Or the following roads and rivers in a J3 or S108 or C170 VFR

If it's a bucket list, I'd do it in a Stinson, low and slow, follow the coasts down and the rivers and roads over, weather sucks, land and make friends and explore.
Click to expand...
I am looking for the romantic taildragger low and slow experience with the opportunity to escape the fog if needed IFR and keep on going.
 
sterlingmossy said:
Ride Sydney to Fremantle overland. Pack and ship bike to Singapore (sail up to Singapore separately). Singapore to Bancok. Crate and fly to Nepal (can't go through Burma). Ride Nepal to India. Crate and fly to Syria (no visa for Iran in 1989). Syria to London (with a few ferries here and there).
Click to expand...

I figured as much.

By the way Stirling Moss is one of my heroes.
 
I second Stephen Coonts' Cannibal Queen. He flew to all 48 contiguous states in a Stearman. Man, I need to reread that book!
 
sterlingmossy said:
I am looking for the romantic taildragger low and slow experience with the opportunity to escape the fog if needed IFR and keep on going.
Click to expand...

Get some experience with IFR and decide if you want to combine the two.
 
I have thought about this a lot and really want to do it in a Champ or J5 maybe a Super Cub but my plan would be to have no plan. Each day wake up see what the weather is like and go the way that is best. If you like a place stay put for a bit if you don't move on. Take three months or so to just go.
 
I like your thinking. That is how we travelled on the motorcycle. It took me 6 months to get from Australia back to England.
 
sterlingmossy said:
I was thinking Aviat Husky. Interested in why Stinson?
Click to expand...

It's a lot cheaper to acquire a Stinson than a Husky.

If money is no issue, then go all out. My preferred coast to coast taildragger is a Beech 18, but that is not going be cheap.

A lot depends on how much stuff you plan to carry. You have more room for stuff in a 4 seat aircraft like a Stinson 108, Cessna 170 or 180 than in a 2 seat tandem bird like a Husky, Cub or Citabria.
 
The nice thing about a beach 18 is you could probably rig a hammock on the inside and sleep in it like a camper.
 
Romantic and IMC ain't the same deal.

Also a Stinson is like a big ol caddy, fly her with two fingers, lands anywhere, AWSOME suspension, for two people and "stuff" it's perfect, great low and slow bird
 
Great advice. So sounds like I should put flying a 185 and a Stinson on the list to try out. The Beach might be a little much for me.
 
Dana said:
1. I, of course, would suggest a biplane, but they generally don't make the best IFR platforms. Still, you might want to read Stephen Coonts' The Cannibal Queen and Richard Bach's Biplane for inspiration (two very different airplanes and eras).
Click to expand...

How about one of the new-production WACO YMFs. You can get them IFR and with full glass panels. A little different that Bach's biplane, but it's still a biplane.
http://www.wacoaircraft.com/waco-ymf-5
 
Got a hankerin' to do the same one day in the Luscombe. Will definitely be VFR, and only after I retire. Doubt my wife will want to come along, but we'll see. The Maule seems a good choice for your mission.
 
James331 said:
Romantic and IMC ain't the same deal.

Also a Stinson is like a big ol caddy, fly her with two fingers, lands anywhere, AWSOME suspension, for two people and "stuff" it's perfect, great low and slow bird
Click to expand...
You can fly a Twin Beech with two fingers. And it will do romantic and IFR at the same time.

And with the bar in the back and cabin seats that fully recline, you can get real romantic if you want to......
 
Speed. Cabin size. Comfort. Endurance. Stability. Lots of factors to consider. Figure out what's important to you. You may like the romantic idea of a taildragger but a good nose dragger may be the better airplane for your mission.
 
James331 said:
Romantic and IMC ain't the same deal.

Also a Stinson is like a big ol caddy, fly her with two fingers, lands anywhere, AWSOME suspension, for two people and "stuff" it's perfect, great low and slow bird
Click to expand...
Just find one that doesn't have a Franklin or have someone standing by with a spare engine... just my opinion!
 
Dana said:
1. I, of course, would suggest a biplane, but they generally don't make the best IFR platforms.
Click to expand...
As someone who owns a vintage biplane, I'd have to say that while romantic, unless it's a cabin Waco, a biplane is the last taildragger I'd suggest for a 'round the US' trip with two people.

First off: where are you going to put the luggage for two people for a two month trip?
 
Lowflynjack said:
Just find one that doesn't have a Franklin or have someone standing by with a spare engine... just my opinion!
Click to expand...

Why?

As someone who owned a Stinson for years and actually did fly it all over the country, engine ran just as well as any other aviation engine and was plenty smooth too.
 
James331 said:
Why?

As someone who owned a Stinson for years and actually did fly it all over the country, engine ran just as well as any other aviation engine and was plenty smooth too.
Click to expand...
I've seen way too many issues with them over the years, but there are people like you who have had good luck and loved them. I know that's the preferred powerplant on a Velocity, but they overheat when in a pusher configuration.
 
Assuming that you want IFR for short periods, consider an ACA Citabria (7GCBC). Truly the Swiss Army knife of airplanes. 120mph cruise, comfortable for the class, can be IFR if properly equipped, reasonable STOL, aerobatic, big baggage compartment.
 
Lowflynjack said:
I've seen way too many issues with them over the years, but there are people like you who have had good luck and loved them. I know that's the preferred powerplant on a Velocity, but they overheat when in a pusher configuration.
Click to expand...

Stinson isn't a pusher as you said, and I owned one, just the same engine issues you'd have in anything else, plus they are much smoother running engines, most of those engine conversions also take the light feeling out of the S108 which really is what makes it such a nice airplane.
 
Fearless Tower said:
You can fly a Twin Beech with two fingers. And it will do romantic and IFR at the same time.

And with the bar in the back and cabin seats that fully recline, you can get real romantic if you want to......
Click to expand...

Beech Model 18
It's got it all.

The Air America guys in Laos had a Model 18 with a working gun turret with twin 50s in it. I bet that would get some attention arriving at the next Pancake Fly-in.
 
James331 said:
Stinson isn't a pusher as you said, and I owned one, just the same engine issues you'd have in anything else, plus they are much smoother running engines, most of those engine conversions also take the light feeling out of the S108 which really is what makes it such a nice airplane.
Click to expand...
Like I said, the people who love them, love them. I wouldn't own one, but that's my opinion. Not the first time we've disagreed, and certainly not the first time you've had a contrary opinion on something!
 
ebetancourt said:
Assuming that you want IFR for short periods, consider an ACA Citabria (7GCBC). Truly the Swiss Army knife of airplanes. 120mph cruise, comfortable for the class, can be IFR if properly equipped, reasonable STOL, aerobatic, big baggage compartment.
Click to expand...
Nice Idea. I flew a 8KCAB in Park City and really liked it.
 
Shepherd said:
Beech Model 18
It's got it all.

The Air America guys in Laos had a Model 18 with a working gun turret with twin 50s in it. I bet that would get some attention arriving at the next Pancake Fly-in.
Click to expand...
A gun turret would be cool but I also like the idea of STOL in the backcountry.
 
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