You're the CFI.. What would you do?

BellyUpFish

BellyUpFish

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Backtothesand
Figured I'd throw this out there..

I've got a guy planning on picking up his PPL and he's purchased his own plane - a Whitman Tailwind. I like the guys style but there are a few question marks for me.

The plane is barebones VFR equipped. Barebones. Which for general buzzing around I wouldn't ask for more, but for training, I'm pondering it.

I'm wondering in this day and age, if it would be doing him a disservice to train in this aircraft. I also don't know if the DPE he is likely to use will fit in the aircraft. I need to check.

What I'm considering, is training him in the local 172 with some transition training in his Tailwind, so when he wants to venture off solo, he can fly his own aircraft, but do the checkride in the Cessna.

I don't want to mix him up on dissimilar aircraft, but I did the same for my PPL and survived.

Thoughts?
 
Tailwind seems a bit fast for primary training. Nothing wrong with bare bones VFR so long as everything that needs to be there is there. No need for him to learn instruments he'll never use.
 
steingar said:
Tailwind seems a bit fast for primary training. Nothing wrong with bare bones VFR so long as everything that needs to be there is there. No need for him to learn instruments he'll never use.
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I agree. If it was a Cub, I'd have no hesitations. This Tailwind is only good for 150mph or so, it's got the 290 in it, but still, that's scooting at <10 hours..
 
People have learned in faster airplanes. Much faster.

I'm not saying you should teach in one, but I know a girl who did her primary training in a Seneca.

She had no interest at all in "little planes", and was headed for the airlines and had a crap-ton of money. She got there, too.

Never flew a day in her life in anything other than a twin, and her little green plastic card doesn't say "single engine" anywhere on it. It's a source of bets at bars for her now.

I suspect there's a few military folks who could pipe up and describe the slowest airplane that they've ever flown did 150 knots on final, too.
 
With proper instruction there's no problem with using the Tailwind if you're comfortable giving instruction n it...except that he can't use it for the Flight by Reference to Instruments part unless he adds a T&B, which would be easy enough to do in an E-AB.

The real questions are insurance and examiner.
 
MauleSkinner said:
With proper instruction there's no problem with using the Tailwind if you're comfortable giving instruction n it...except that he can't use it for the Flight by Reference to Instruments part unless he adds a T&B, which would be easy enough to do in an E-AB.

The real questions are insurance and examiner.
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I'll be flying the plane home for him on Friday. We are working on insurance currently. Liability only. It's actually equipped with a T&B, so it may be just a frog hair above barebones VFR. LOL
 
BellyUpFish said:
I agree. If it was a Cub, I'd have no hesitations. This Tailwind is only good for 150mph or so, it's got the 290 in it, but still, that's scooting at <10 hours..
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Once had 3 students who bought a Cub together and called me to train them. Fun to do but at some point they had to move to a C152 for radio navigation and communications. Worked out great and they all got their PPCs. My opinion, and not worth much as I have no idea about Tailwinds, is that it can be done. As far as the flight check I don't know if that would be feasible, again because I know nothing....about Tailwinds. Good luck man!
 
I think we're going to do a little in both birds and get him sorted out.
 
I'd definitely do some of the Flight by Reference to Instruments in the Tailwind.
 
BellyUpFish said:
I'll be flying the plane home for him on Friday. We are working on insurance currently. Liability only. It's actually equipped with a T&B, so it may be just a frog hair above barebones VFR. LOL
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You will also need to do some electronic navigation, DPE's seem to keep getting conflicting information about if a portable GPS qualifies. Probably need to check and see what this month's guideance is telling them is acceptable.

Brian
 
Train on the tailwind, it's a VFR ticket, I learned in a 7AC, no reason why not.
 
Even if the DPE fits he has to agree to do the ride in a plane with an experimental airworthiness certificate.

The FAR requires the applicant to provide a plane with standard airworthiness certificate or special airworthiness certificate in the limited, primary, or light-sport category.

2) At the discretion of the examiner who administers the practical test, the applicant may furnish—

(i) An aircraft that has an airworthiness certificate other than a standard airworthiness certificate or special airworthiness certificate in the limited, primary, or light-sport category, but that otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section;
 
Good point. I think the DPE would do it in an experimental, but we'll know shortly.
 
DPE doesn't want to do the ride in the Tailwind, so that's that.
 
RussR said:
Is that the only DPE available in your area?
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No, but it is likely who he will use for the check ride, I can look into the other local DPE, but after flying the Tailwind today, I think it's a moot point.


MauleSkinner said:
I'd still do some of the training in the Tailwind...be good for him.
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Can't.. I don't fit well.. Tailwind's are clearly for those 70" and shorter..
 
BellyUpFish said:
No, but it is likely who he will use for the check ride, I can look into the other local DPE, but after flying the Tailwind today, I think it's a moot point.




Can't.. I don't fit well.. Tailwind's are clearly for those 70" and shorter..
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Well if you'd take off your hi heels.... :D
 
I agree, I'm simply too tall for this build of Tailwind, so we'll have to improvise.
 
Question the performance characteristics of the airplane; not the avionics inside. I'd rather teach a private pilot student in a barebones VFR plane than an advanced IFR plane any day.
 
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