The Tailwheel

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
When I flew from the right seat a couple months ago I found that I tended to end up on the right side of the runway...
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Well, we all mostly teach and learn in side-by-side seats with wheels, and that configuration is a better platform for navigation and ifr ops because of the lap room.
But, I still teach "straddling the centerline" even in a sise-by-side. Right seat, left seat, center seat, doesn't matter. The pilot can better look straight down the centerline during the take-off and landing if he/she is shooting a line right down the centerline of the runway, and has the image of straddling the centerline at all times.
 
Even in large airplanes, one straddles the centerline. In the 747, put it right under you, and you'll be on the centerline. I lined it up with the right side of my EADI (attitude indicator) to put the nose wheels right on the center. It works in small airplanes and big.

I feel the difference between stick and yoke made a good deal of difference to me. Perhaps I was just way too intimidated by the fact that the training was in a tailwheel airplane, but my first lesson (a Champ) and second lesson (a Cub) were not very successful. A hundred or so hours later, a friend bought a Cessna 140 and had a key made for me. The same instructor that had given me my two earlier lessons checked me out in the -140 in less than an hour.
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That's a very interesting observation. After some experience, it doesn't make much difference, and it's easy to forget how a new pilot may see the matter. It's good to hear such perspectives to remind those of us who do instruct to see things through the student's eyes.

I never had such an experience; the stick was a little more intuitive to me than a yoke, and I liked it better, but it didn't make much difference in the way I flew. I still prefer a stick.
 
Glad you had fun. Hang in there. Your flying will get better.
 
DouglasBader said:
Even in large airplanes, one straddles the centerline. In the 747, put it right under you, and you'll be on the centerline. I lined it up with the right side of my EADI (attitude indicator) to put the nose wheels right on the center. It works in small airplanes and big.
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This also has generally worked for me in various airplanes as well. Until I'm very close to the ground I try to keep the centerline halfway between the rudder pedals and by the time I touch down it's a little closer to the inboard pedal but still between them (assuming I land in the center). Seems to work just as well from the left or right seat.

That's a very interesting observation. After some experience, it doesn't make much difference, and it's easy to forget how a new pilot may see the matter. It's good to hear such perspectives to remind those of us who do instruct to see things through the student's eyes.

I never had such an experience; the stick was a little more intuitive to me than a yoke, and I liked it better, but it didn't make much difference in the way I flew. I still prefer a stick.
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My first experience with a stick was in a sailplane and I don't think it gave me the slightest bit of confusion or trouble. But the throttle on the left side of the first taildragger airplane I flew took a few minutes to get used to.
 
gismo said:
My first experience with a stick was in a sailplane and I don't think it gave me the slightest bit of confusion or trouble. But the throttle on the left side of the first taildragger airplane I flew took a few minutes to get used to.
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The throttle was weird for me too. Not so much it's position but I found myself holding onto the tube that runs down through the glare shield instead of being on the throttle while on final. In every other plane I always keep my hand on the throttle.
 
Never had any problem with the stick vs. yoke thing, despite switching hands... but yeah, the throttle placement takes getting used to.
Luckily, with most taildraggers in that configuration, there's nothing else to do with that hand except open or close the window, so it's not all that confusing. :D

Classic taildraggers with yokes do seem to have less "mystique", but the C-140s I've flown were so sweet that it didn't matter. In the air a 140 is a 150, basically, and on the ground the yoke works fine for all that arcane taildragger stuff.
It's really all about the feet, anyway, when it comes to taildraggers. :D
 
rottydaddy said:
Never had any problem with the stick vs. yoke thing, despite switching hands... but yeah, the throttle placement takes getting used to.
Luckily, with most taildraggers in that configuration, there's nothing else to do with that hand except open or close the window, so it's not all that confusing. :D

Classic taildraggers with yokes do seem to have less "mystique", but the C-140s I've flown were so sweet that it didn't matter. In the air a 140 is a 150, basically, and on the ground the yoke works fine for all that arcane taildragger stuff.
It's really all about the feet, anyway, when it comes to taildraggers. :D
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Amen to that brother:D
Just finished my TW endorsement this morning. 3.2 hrs over three lessons. The stick/throttle combination didn't take long at all to get comfortable with. Then again, I have years of Flightsim training...lol. I trained in a Super Decathlon, which is a remarkably stable aircraft.

No flaps, so approach speed was a bit faster than what I'm used to in the skyhawk. This is the only airplane I've ever flown other than a Skyhawk.

I must say, the most challenging to get a handle on was, Wheel Landings! I found myself fighting the natural tendency to pull back on the stick when I should push forward.

Overall, this was very rewarding training and I was lucky enough to find a Great Instructor! Can't wait to do more training with him!

Edit: at one point, I found myself reverting back to "lazy feet" during roll out. Had to correct that quickly and get my mind back in the groove! :rofl:
 
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Third lesson in the Citabria really kicked my @ss. The previous lesson wasn't too bad but I just couldn't put all the parts together today. Or as my instructor said "it was great until the last two feet."
 
Flying_Nun said:
Third lesson in the Citabria really kicked my @ss. The previous lesson wasn't too bad but I just couldn't put all the parts together today. Or as my instructor said "it was great until the last two feet."
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Every one of your landings today was better than my last.

It's a matter of proficiency just keep practicing you'll get it.
 

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I don't have any words for that. Glad you got out of it unscathed.
 
Today was a beautiful day for some more tailwheel training. Trimmed at 2,500' and flew hands off. Three okay landings on grass, one okay on concrete, and the last one was really nice. I might learn to fly this thing after all.
 
Flying_Nun said:
Today was a beautiful day for some more tailwheel training. Trimmed at 2,500' and flew hands off. Three okay landings on grass, one okay on concrete, and the last one was really nice. I might learn to fly this thing after all.
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You just summed up my exact flight this morning, same altitude and hands off flying. Finished my solo hours in a cub while I was at it. Checkride will be scheduled within the next 2 weeks. The weather was amazing this morning. Went up around 8:30, life was perfect for an hour.
 
A wise old bird I know who introduced me to tailwheels used to say, repeatedly it seemed, :rolleyes: "If your feet aren't moving you are doing it wrong."
 
Probably true to some extent, so long as you know which dance to use in each dragger. The Cessna dance doesn't work worth a flip in the Stearman. Ask me how I know.

Threefingeredjack said:
A wise old bird I know who introduced me to tailwheels used to say, repeatedly it seemed, :rolleyes: "If your feet aren't moving you are doing it wrong."
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wabower said:
Probably true to some extent, so long as you know which dance to use in each dragger. The Cessna dance doesn't work worth a flip in the Stearman. Ask me how I know.
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I sometimes find myself correcting for things that aren't there on really calm, no wind days. Its like my feet just don't understand that the airplane is actually rolling straight, without having to 'dance' all the time
 
MBDiagMan said:
Does stick or yoke make any difference for anyone else? Just curious.
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The stick is going to be harder in one respect and that is taxiing on the ground in wind. Especially in a Citabria you may find it tough to keep full aft stick with full aileron input while trying to steer the rudder and possibly use heel brakes. This is much easier with a yoke as it doesn't hit your gut and inner thigh.
 
I really don't do much of anything different between most nosewheels and tailwheels. The mission really is the same -- keep the nose pointed straight and don't touch down going sideways.
 
wabower said:
Probably true to some extent, so long as you know which dance to use in each dragger. The Cessna dance doesn't work worth a flip in the Stearman. Ask me how I know.
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And the things you do on landing in a Cub don't necessarily work in an Acroduster...

Ryan
 
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