T-6 Texan Orientation Flight...

Armageddon Aviator

Armageddon Aviator

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Messages
1,073
Location
Israel
Display Name
Display name:
Alon Smolarski
I am contemplating an eventual orientation flight in a T-6 Texan during my next vacation in Florida...

I understand that both Stallion 51 http://www.stallion51.com and Warbirds Adventures http://www.warbirdadventures.com offer the opportunity to fly the Texan under the supervision and guidance of an experienced instructor.

I'd love to get some recommendations regarding the two options before taking a decision.

Thanks in advance.


2-t-6-wa06-book-20.jpg
 
Just what we all need... An addiction to fuel our existing aviation addiction.

Enjoy the training!!! : :D :
 
I've heard some good things about Warbird Adventures. They are good, but expensive. Don't know anything about Stallion 51.

Personally, due to the high cost, I'd recommend finding an independent T-6 operator and doing the training with them. Much more bang for the buck. I know of a few in Virginia, California and Massachusetts if you are looking for recommendations.
 
Fearless Tower said:
I've heard some good things about Warbird Adventures. They are good, but expensive. Don't know anything about Stallion 51.

Personally, due to the high cost, I'd recommend finding an independent T-6 operator and doing the training with them. Much more bang for the buck. I know of a few in Virginia, California and Massachusetts if you are looking for recommendations.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice - I'm limited by time and money so I'm only looking for a short orientation flight...

I will spend a week in the Kissimmee area in October so other locations are not an option unfortunately...
 
Armageddon Aviator said:
Thanks for the advice - I'm limited by time and money so I'm only looking for a short orientation flight...



I will spend a week in the Kissimmee area in October so other locations are not an option unfortunately...
Click to expand...

Of it is a destination thing, my recommendation would Warbird Adventures and if you get hooked and later want to build more T-6 time then go with an independent operator.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Of it is a destination thing, my recommendation would Warbird Adventures and if you get hooked and later want to build more T-6 time then go with an independent operator.
Click to expand...

I didn't even know you could build time on a T-6 ( unless you own one ).

Great, one more thing to dream about :D
 
Armageddon Aviator said:
I didn't even know you could build time on a T-6 ( unless you own one ).



Great, one more thing to dream about :D
Click to expand...

I know a couple guys that will let you buy time at a discounted rate if you but multiple hours. Only caveat is that it has to be dual/ no solo.

Everyone has their own thing, but personally, I'd rather fly a T-6 for 4-5 hrs than 1 hr in a P-51.
 
I did warbird adventures. With a friend ,we both had a great time. It's a little pricey, but so is fuel. Got to log it in my log book.
 
My first hour of flight is in a T6 for my first year anniversary 17 years ago. I remember it oh so well.

It was with traveling group called North American Top Gun. Rolls, loops barrel rolls pretty much anything I wanted to do and it was INCREDIBLE.

Last year I went up with Aeroshell team for morning flight and they did little acro but no flying for me but still cool experience.

Do it, do it do it, you won't be sorry! It did cross my mind when buying the toga to consider tail wheel aircraft to move up to the Texan but common sense with the family came into play.
 
The T-6 will be a hoot for you.......first class seating on a metal frame with a chute. Genuine radial engine sounds......and best of all you can open the slider while in flight and get all sorts of fresh air. 11 gallons of oil takes a while to warm up to 50C........enjoy....
 
Armageddon Aviator said:
I'd love to get some recommendations regarding the two options before taking a decision.
Click to expand...
My T-6 time was with another operator and it's been almost 25 years since I flew with Stallion51 so I can't offer advice about the operators, but I strongly recommend doing accelerated stalls in the T-6. :eek::D

Nauga,
who thinks the horizon swapping sides isn't much of a warning ;)
 
Thank you all for the valuable input.

Your comments are appreciated.

:yes:

Alon
 
I did the Warbirds Adventure T6 they have three of them on the ramp.

Stallion 51 (Home of "Crazy Horse" P51) is based just across the ramp, both operators are very good, Stallion 51 a bit more up market with a variety of aircraft, T6, P51's and a L39 Jet.

A few hundred bucks for the T6 experience then you jump into the thousands for the Mustang or L39 rides !
 
Besides the rather large price difference, the T-6 was designed as a 2 place trainer so you'd probably get to fly from the front seat with full controls vs the more cramped retrofitted back seat with minimal controls in a converted P-51. Granted the Mustang might ultimately be more fun and certainly a more unique experience but the T-6 is gonna be a lot more bang per buck.

To look at it another way, you could probably get a complete T-6 checkout for the cost of one hour in a Mustang.

One other note, many pilots with considerable time in both say the T-6 is a more difficult airplane to fly and land than the P-51 or conversely if you can land a T-6 properly you wouldn't have any trouble with the 'Stang. I can't personally vouch for that since I lack the P-51 perspective.
 
gismo said:
One other note, many pilots with considerable time in both say the T-6 is a more difficult airplane to fly and land than the P-51 or conversely if you can land a T-6 properly you wouldn't have any trouble with the 'Stang. I can't personally vouch for that since I lack the P-51 perspective.
Click to expand...

There is an old saying that the Bearcat is a good trainer for the Mustang which is a good trainer for the T-6.
 
the telltale sign of a beginner is the pitch bobble as you reach back and fro to start the hydraulic pump and then raise the gear. In privett's harvard I'd always make a little excursion doing that. He'd be off my wing in his other T-6, I'd look over after wheels-up and he'd be laughing at me every time over my amateurish handling.
 
I think Stallion 51 your T-6 time is also part of P-51 transition...
 
I owned a SNJ for 8 years when I could afford to feed it. It is a great airplane and great trainer as it has a few nasty characteristics built into it. You will probably get to fly front seat at either place. For a real eye opener have them show you departure and accelerated stalls. As for landing it is just like any other tailwheel, as long as you touch down straight it is a non event. Let it start to swerve without immediately and the games begin. I also got 3hrs in a Mustang and although easier to fly in most respects the systems were more complicated and required constant monitoring. I flew it about 1/2hr from the back and the rest of the time from the front. So go for it and have fun. It will be worth it. Don
 
yakdriver said:
I owned a SNJ for 8 years when I could afford to feed it. It is a great airplane and great trainer as it has a few nasty characteristics built into it. You will probably get to fly front seat at either place. For a real eye opener have them show you departure and accelerated stalls. As for landing it is just like any other tailwheel, as long as you touch down straight it is a non event. Let it start to swerve without immediately and the games begin. I also got 3hrs in a Mustang and although easier to fly in most respects the systems were more complicated and required constant monitoring. I flew it about 1/2hr from the back and the rest of the time from the front. So go for it and have fun. It will be worth it. Don
Click to expand...

Sounds very exciting :yes:
 
One of the funny things about the T-6/SNJ is that while it is more fun to fly from the front, it is alot easier to taxi from the back (you don't have to S-turn anywhere near as much).
 
I did the Warbird Adventure T-6 flight. It was a great experience. I flew from the front seat and we did some sightseeing, then some basic aerobatics (spin, roll, hammerhead) as I recall. It was a hoot. I recommend it highly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top