Louise Hose
Well Known Member
I'm a timid and very cautious pilot when it comes to trying new things. For that reason, and many others, I have been reluctant to transition into Paul's RV-8, the Valkyrie. But, I'm also not the full-time GIB-personality and I've grown tired of counting the hairs on the back of Paul's head. So, once some time-consuming obligations pass this summer, I will probably transition into the -8. How to do it.....
I have over 650 hours in my -6 and the -8 has the same engine and general handling characteristics. Should be easy, I suppose, but I've only soloed four models of aircraft in my career....and remember that timid streak? I don't have the comfort and even joy of jumping from plane-to-plane that some many of you feel. Add to it Paul's passion for the plane, and I want to be fully prepared.
This morning, I flew over to Bruce Bohannan's private airstrips (Flyin' Tiger - 81D) near Angleton, TX. I planned to get checked-out in his Legend in order to become familiar with right-hand stick/left-hand throttle and the centerline view. Knowing my longterm intent, Bruce did an interesting thing. He fully briefed me on the Cub, climbed in the back, and told me to go fly as if he weren't in the plane.
I took-off, flew around trying various turns, climb attitudes, slow flight, and stalling before returning to the field and landing. We then briefed the flight and went up for some "training".
What a great way to "transition" a modestly experience pilot into a new airplane! While Paul will probably be in the Valkyrie for my first several (or many) flights, the Val's lack of rearseat brakes and the general poor positioning of the -8 for backseat flying argue for my independence from his assistance on even the first flight. This experience was a great confidence booster. Eventually, I expect to take on the RV-3 and this is exactly the right practice for that day.
Flying with Bruce was a great experience and I plan to go back and do some more in the Cub. Part of what made this approach to the transition so successful is that I had no fear that a mistake I made would end in disaster. Bruce is such a fine stick-and-rudder pilot that I was confident that he would ensure the plane would fly again no matter how badly I might have messed up. With that confidence, I was able to actually do just fine on my first Cub flight.
Very cool experience! For folks looking for tailwheel transition, I expect that Bruce would be great. For anyone needing a biennial (which I also picked up today), spending a few hours with him in the Legend is a great way to do it! A bonus is that the rural, private, grass strip allows Bruce to have students doing far more concentrated pattern work than most airports. You get a lot more landings per hour than at an even moderately busy airport.
So, Paul, you had better get those rear rudder pedals installed before August. You know what happened when my Dad procrastinated on putting training wheels on my hand-me-down bicycle when I was about four.....I just started riding without the training wheels!
I have over 650 hours in my -6 and the -8 has the same engine and general handling characteristics. Should be easy, I suppose, but I've only soloed four models of aircraft in my career....and remember that timid streak? I don't have the comfort and even joy of jumping from plane-to-plane that some many of you feel. Add to it Paul's passion for the plane, and I want to be fully prepared.
This morning, I flew over to Bruce Bohannan's private airstrips (Flyin' Tiger - 81D) near Angleton, TX. I planned to get checked-out in his Legend in order to become familiar with right-hand stick/left-hand throttle and the centerline view. Knowing my longterm intent, Bruce did an interesting thing. He fully briefed me on the Cub, climbed in the back, and told me to go fly as if he weren't in the plane.
I took-off, flew around trying various turns, climb attitudes, slow flight, and stalling before returning to the field and landing. We then briefed the flight and went up for some "training".
What a great way to "transition" a modestly experience pilot into a new airplane! While Paul will probably be in the Valkyrie for my first several (or many) flights, the Val's lack of rearseat brakes and the general poor positioning of the -8 for backseat flying argue for my independence from his assistance on even the first flight. This experience was a great confidence booster. Eventually, I expect to take on the RV-3 and this is exactly the right practice for that day.
Flying with Bruce was a great experience and I plan to go back and do some more in the Cub. Part of what made this approach to the transition so successful is that I had no fear that a mistake I made would end in disaster. Bruce is such a fine stick-and-rudder pilot that I was confident that he would ensure the plane would fly again no matter how badly I might have messed up. With that confidence, I was able to actually do just fine on my first Cub flight.
Very cool experience! For folks looking for tailwheel transition, I expect that Bruce would be great. For anyone needing a biennial (which I also picked up today), spending a few hours with him in the Legend is a great way to do it! A bonus is that the rural, private, grass strip allows Bruce to have students doing far more concentrated pattern work than most airports. You get a lot more landings per hour than at an even moderately busy airport.
So, Paul, you had better get those rear rudder pedals installed before August. You know what happened when my Dad procrastinated on putting training wheels on my hand-me-down bicycle when I was about four.....I just started riding without the training wheels!
