kimberlyanne546
Final Approach
I just realized that I had another aviation "first" on Saturday - and wanted to ask the group what recent "aviation firsts" you have had.
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First Drunken Taxi
Sure, I have flown a tail dragger once before - but that was different. I took an "intro to tail draggers" lesson last year, at a flight school, in a Citabria, but the seat was high enough that I could pretty much taxi like I did in a Cessna. I could see over the dash and move forward in a straight line. No big deal.
But last Saturday was different. You see, I was on my way to a flour bombing / fly-in located in the "Lost Sierras" of California - it was going to take place inside a semi-private, residential air park that had a tiny 20' wide runway. Most of us local pilots had never heard of the place or landed there before.
On a whim after a pilot briefing in the terminal building, I was invited to ride in a different airplane (original plan was to ride with my friend). I'm trying to be more careful about who I fly with these days, so I asked around, and everybody vouched for him. Off we went.
Walking up to the plane, I saw it was a tail dragger with aerobatic seat belts. Such a pain to put on! Much to my surprise, I got to ride left (pilot's) seat in the plane. It was a modified RV-6 (different than a standard because the owner beefed up the wings, landing gear, and engine - so this was a one of a kind customized plane).
Now remember, I was not expecting to taxi, but the pilot asked me if I would like to. Of course I said yes, but - what a challenge! I think we had some mis-communications as he was trying to show me how to do it.
The pilot explained how he goes to one side of the taxiway, then switches rudder pedals when he gets near the grass that separates the taxiway from the runway, and then turns and goes the other way - in what I like to affectionately call "the drunken taxi manuever". I have only seen this done by much bigger tail draggers at my airport, such as the stearman. Our seats were so low and we were so short that it needed to be done. When watching from above, it looks like the plane is making shallow S turns on the taxiway.
It was definitely something new to me - even the slightest input of the rudder meant you had to come in with opposite rudder quite soon after (or you would run off the taxiway) - but any big movements made by mistake would sort of begin this weird dance of the feet.
I certainly have more respect and understanding for all you tail dragger drivers out there now.
Kimberly
------------------------
First Drunken Taxi
Sure, I have flown a tail dragger once before - but that was different. I took an "intro to tail draggers" lesson last year, at a flight school, in a Citabria, but the seat was high enough that I could pretty much taxi like I did in a Cessna. I could see over the dash and move forward in a straight line. No big deal.
But last Saturday was different. You see, I was on my way to a flour bombing / fly-in located in the "Lost Sierras" of California - it was going to take place inside a semi-private, residential air park that had a tiny 20' wide runway. Most of us local pilots had never heard of the place or landed there before.
On a whim after a pilot briefing in the terminal building, I was invited to ride in a different airplane (original plan was to ride with my friend). I'm trying to be more careful about who I fly with these days, so I asked around, and everybody vouched for him. Off we went.
Walking up to the plane, I saw it was a tail dragger with aerobatic seat belts. Such a pain to put on! Much to my surprise, I got to ride left (pilot's) seat in the plane. It was a modified RV-6 (different than a standard because the owner beefed up the wings, landing gear, and engine - so this was a one of a kind customized plane).
Now remember, I was not expecting to taxi, but the pilot asked me if I would like to. Of course I said yes, but - what a challenge! I think we had some mis-communications as he was trying to show me how to do it.
The pilot explained how he goes to one side of the taxiway, then switches rudder pedals when he gets near the grass that separates the taxiway from the runway, and then turns and goes the other way - in what I like to affectionately call "the drunken taxi manuever". I have only seen this done by much bigger tail draggers at my airport, such as the stearman. Our seats were so low and we were so short that it needed to be done. When watching from above, it looks like the plane is making shallow S turns on the taxiway.
It was definitely something new to me - even the slightest input of the rudder meant you had to come in with opposite rudder quite soon after (or you would run off the taxiway) - but any big movements made by mistake would sort of begin this weird dance of the feet.
I certainly have more respect and understanding for all you tail dragger drivers out there now.
Kimberly
The old cable-actuated drum brakes were also prone to be "grabby" and not very durable. I can attest to that- busted a brake cable on a Champ once while pivot-turning, and it wasn't exactly a neglected airplane. It's just not a very robust system.
