TAILWHEEL TRANSITION COURSE*

This course is intended for the pilot who has already previously obtained a Private or Commercial Pilot Certification in tricycle-gear airplanes, and that pilot has no prior tailwheel experience.

There are two phases to this course: Ground School, topics and the

Flight Program.

GROUND SCHOOL 

Transition to a new model of airplane should always begin with a ground school session addressing some or all of the items listed below. In this course we will address all of them: 

  · Fuel System

  · Weight and Balance

  · V-Speeds

  · Limitations

  · Performance – Fuel Consumption, Engine Operation Parameters

  · Emergency Procedures

  · Restrictions that haven’t been covered in any of the above.

Most of the above are applicable to any airplane new to the transitioning pilot. Once these have been covered, we can move on to the taildragger-specific subjects which include:

  · Torque sources and their control

  · Positioning of controls for taxiing

  · Normal takeoffs and landings

  · Wheel landings

  · Crosswind takeoffs and landings

  · Recovery from a bounce

The total time needed for this ground school material is about 2 hours. We will address most of it as part of pre-flight briefings. Since there is a tendency to try to get into the air quickly when a flight lesson is scheduled, some of the topics may be more effectively covered over a cup of coffee in an unhurried environment. I will try to be flexible in picking which method is most effective for a particular student in any given phase of the training.

FLIGHT TRAINING

Block 1

We will begin with taxiing, demonstrating a normal takeoff with the student flying the climb to the practice area. There will be time for the student to familiarize him/herself with the airplane by performing turns, a stall series, slow flight and some simulated patterns ending in a go-around. If time permits, the student will be encouraged to perform some ground reference maneuvers to increase his/her comfort in the airplane. The instructor will conclude the lesson with a normal, three-point landing.

Block 2

Beginning in light winds, normal takeoffs and landings will be performed. This can all be done in the pattern unless the student exhibits difficulty with speed control or coordination. In this case, the instructor will revert to simulated patterns at altitude until the difficulty has been overcome. Recovery from any bounces will also be covered here. Winds will be light (under 6 knots) or if stronger, should be aligned with the runway.

Block 3

This is the point at which we begin crosswind takeoffs and landings in earnest. The crosswind component should ideally be limited to 6 or 8 knots.

Block 4

Wheel landings are introduced, with winds as specified in Block 2.

Block 5 

Crosswind operations with the crosswind component from 10 knots and increasing progressively to the airplane’s maximum allowable value are indicated for this block. The landings will be wheel landings.

All blocks will include emergency procedures, and will be bracketed by pre-flight and post-flight briefings. 

PROGRAM LENGTH

Recognizing that we cannot make a solid commitment on the time which will be required for the above program, we can mention typical time averages which are useful as a starting point for discussion.

 Block                   Flight Time

Number            Required (Hours) 

    1                                1.5

    2                                2.0

    3                                2.0

    4                                2.5

    5                                2.5

                     Total      10.5

Note that the times shown above must be interpreted as averages. In some cases less time may be required, and in others 15 to 20 hours may be needed before the transitioning pilot is safe for crosswind operations with passengers.

With the advent of FAR 61.31(i), PIC time may not be logged in a tailwheel airplane prior to the logbook endorsement. For that endorsement, the pilot must  demonstrate proficiency in the operation of a tailwheel airplane to include normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings, wheel landings, and go-around procedures. That proficiency is the goal of this training program.

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  *This training program is adopted from Harvey S. Plourde's excellent book THE COMPLEAT TAILDRAGGER PILOT, published in 1991 and is used by permission. (Available from Amazon.com and from Muguette B. Plourde; 5 Hermsdorf Ave.; Goffstown, NH 03045.)