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First hour in a Tailwheel to help RV-7 decision

newimaging

Active Member
So I finally had to get an idea about the tailwheel behaviour for myself. After hearing both sides complain about the other, thats the only way to do it.
I haven`t flown as PIC for about 3 years now, and at that point I only had 65 hours.
So I went to Van Nuys today and got some intro in a Decathlon with a constant speed prop, which was also something new.
We did a bunch of manuvers such as dutch rolls, cuban eights and rudder stalls. All things I can`t remember doing in flight training. Louie really emphasized the use of the rudder :)
My landing attempts were about as butchered as they could be, and even so I only did about 6 of them, I am sure they guys in the tower where rolling.
Everything at once, including the constant prop, half my normal instruments were somewhere else, added lots of load to the rusty skill.
But I do have to say that I had a lot of fun. These taildragger don`t land themself, and its a challenge, but I am looking forward to learning it.
Yes, I will be ordering a 7- :)

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Awesome Christian!! They are a blast and every flight you'll learn something new to build the skill. Have fun!!
 
Yep!

You'll get there!

Most fun you can have in the daylight with your clothes on.

And like Chad says, you'll learn more every flight.

There's an old saying that I just made up. "When we quite learning, it's all over!"
 
So. Tell us the truth...how was your first hour of real flying? Amazing how little you knew about that vane in the tail huh? Say goodbye to the boring flat footed flying
 
It was plain awesome. The Decathlon has a symmetrical wing, so it flies different right there. It also doesn`t have any flaps.
The tail being a lot longer then the RV`s, I was told makes it a little more stable on the ground.
I ran into total brain overload with the first hour. The cockpit was very noisy and it was hard for me to hear the instructor or the tower. Time to get a Bose I think.
Pushing the nose forward while going down the runway is interesting too, because you are fearing a prop strike when you start out.
Visibility is a non issue.
The good thing is that I now understand the theory about the rudder, and the ground loop.
Lots of fun. I welcome the challenge. Just not sure about test flying my own plane anymore :)
 
I loved flying the Super Decathelon. When the time comes, go back and get some aerobatics in that plane. That symmetrical wing flies pretty well inverted :)

You picked a good plane to experience tailwheel (although, when it comes to an endorsement, there atr probably more affordable platforms).

Finally, don't worry about those botched landings. We've all been there. Even after many years in various tailwheel planes, my RV transition training in a small-tail RV-6 started out pretty entertaining for someone (just not me or my CFI) :eek:
 
I've got a few hours in a Citabria (sibling to the Decathlon) way back in my tailwheel training, and it's my opinion that the RV taildraggers are even easier to land and keep straight than the Citabria was.
 
Pushing the nose forward while going down the runway is interesting too, because you are fearing a prop strike when you start out.

Sit in the airplane with the prop vertical. Have the instructor pick up the tail and hold it so that the prop tip touches the ground. Now look at your "attitude". You will be much less concerned about an accidental prop strike.
 
Time to get a Bose I think.

Forget Bose, the trade-up program that Lightspeed is offering on their Zulu's is awesome and the headset is great! I just got one this week, and it is great in my very loud RV (no interior at the moment other than seats). Definitely better than the Bose I borrowed to try out before buying the Zulu (1st gen, not the new one).

I'm still trying to master landings in the RV-7, but its a heck of a lot more fun and challenging than the Cessnas that I've been flying. And whenever I go back to a 152/172, I grease on every landing even when it had been months with zero flying.
 
Very cool Christian! I will be doing the same yet this month to help in my decision between a 9 or 9A. I will be training in a cub I believe. I am wanting a 9 pretty bad so I hope all goes well. Congratulations.
 
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