Taming the Taildragger

[@tsmgguy]

I took my private pilot check ride with Larry on Christmas day, 1978, logging 1.8 hours. Sure enough, Larry wanted first to see to see a soft field takeoff, followed by a short field landing - - in Fabens, Texas. Larry was a fixture in aviation in the Southwest US for many years. Bob Gilmore's name appears twice in my log book as well. He was one of three instructors I had pre-solo. The other two were hired by the airlines in the space of a few weeks! All of these people are gone now. I didn't check out in a J-3 until 1996, and struggled with that tail wheel aircraft as do all that learned to fly in nosewheel aircraft. I'm a retired United airlines captain today, still flying my own L-4. My feet seem to dance on those rudder pedals of their own accord!

[@lessharratt8719]

Got my PPL in 1978. Never flew a tail dragger. Flew a c-150. I always regret never flying the super cub or citabria that was available. Well I did fly them as well as a beaver but never landed them. Not to late yet for me to do that. I'm only 65 years young. Soloed in 12 hours. Always like full flap short field landings.

[@happysawfish]

tsmgguy: would love to see a picture of your L-4. I love those things. Where are you based?

[@mmouseav8r402]

I’m a 747 pilot for a cargo airline, all i dream about is owning my own taildragger and going into the backcountry

[@gerryortiz7276]

Thanks for sharing!

[@billmorris2613]

After getting my Private in 1969 in a C-150 with a few hours in the C-172, I started using my GI Bill to get my Commercial, Instrument, multi engine, and CFI while still in the Air Force. Flew all the single eng Cessnas in most of my training up to the 210 with a few hours in an A-36 Bonanza. Then the Cessna 310 and the E-55 Barron for my multi engine. While I was dropping Skydivers from an old 1957 C182 at a private airstrip in West Texas I got my tail wheel training in an Aeronca Model 7 Champ, without any electrical system. It was a fun and easy aircraft to fly and was signed off after the second flight. Ending up with 70 something hours in the Champ. After the Air Force I went back home to New Orleans and after getting my Sea Plane flew a Grumman Goose part time for a major oil company under part 135. Also a C-185 on anfib floats. My full time job was as a Locomotive Engineer running trains for 3 major railroads, (same territory, most of Louisiana, for all 3 through mergers). Retired from the Union Pacific.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

Nothing better than old school instruction.

[@blancolirio]

..."I knew it was going to be a long day..." Good Stuff!

[@russellsmith3825]

Juan, I wonder if this instructor grew up on a farm like many of his generation, because turning brakes are standard on tractors, and as such they may have been subconsciously aware of using them for directional control.

[@russellsmith3825]

BTW between the Stearman the Lockheed and the wind you'd almost think this was filmed at 1 kilo 1

[@lessharratt8719]

This is a great tutorial. Looking to get back into flying. I want a bearhawk 5. Well a fella can dream. Always watch your channel. And vasa. Together you guys rock it. I like the way you cooperate with each other. Good stuff.

[@russellsmith3825]

@@lessharratt8719 their LSA looks interesting bearhawk.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/LSASpecsImage800-2.jpg Right now I'm looking at a Tierra 2 t bird converted to a single place as I am a larger mammal, and I think the factory seats were calibrated for the backside of a 12yr old girl, however that ship sailed before I turned gray.

[@lessharratt8719]

@@russellsmith3825 Thanks for the link. I will check it out.

[@doranjaffas7351]

I had a flight instructor years ago that gave me a piece of sage advice when it came to landing a conventional gear. Simply put he said " Keep it straight ". 30 years later on final I still hear those words.

[@multa765]

I could listen to this folksy gentleman all day, he plainly knows more about flying an aeroplane than I would if I lived to be 200. I'm sitting here thinking , "learn, you're being taught by a master."

[@hotprop92]

Sky King and Marlboro Man rolled into one fine gentleman.

[@Amertrade97421a]

I felt honored just watching this video-A touch of true Americana/Aviation History.

[@Kevin_747]

Great video. I saw it many years ago. I feel fortunate that the airport where I learned to fly had no tri-gear airplanes. We had a Champ, PA12 and a Citabria. I had solo time in all three and took my private check ride in 1971 in the Citabria.. Still flying that same Champ.

[@timboslice8194]

What an amazing gentleman. I hope you live to be 100+ years and my instructor. A true living legend.

[@bernardanderson3758]

Thank you for the refresher on Mastering the Tailwheel Aircraft referral on knowledge of Directional control and keeping your feet alive and looking straight forward down the runway center line and what not to get your self in a Ground loop . I remember that I was told that when you see the tail of the plane you are flying that is about to come pass you then you are in for a ride

[@phoneticau]

bucket list i get a taildragger endorsement

[@PostcardsfromAlaska]

These old dudes are straight-up badasses. Regarding the 195 wreck, it’s critical ,like Larry says, to keep your eyes on the far end of the runway on rollout. Unfortunately, when the tail comes down on a plane like a 195, you can’t see ahead. I suspect this is why so many 195s are destroyed by groundloops. The technique I use to deal with forward visibility loss, flying stuff like Beavers on 35” tires, and 180’s on 31” bushwheel, is to load the plane neutral or fwd CG, and fly the tail high to a full stop. Like Larry says, there’s a point in a full-stall landing where you become a passenger. I refuse to be a passenger, so I’ll use a combination of brakes, power, and up elevator to transition a three-point landing back to level attitude whenever possible. Helps you see and avoid stumps, gullies and boulders when landing off airport, which is what a lot of us use taildraggers for in the first place.

[@craigpennington1251]

One of the very best training films I've seen on the subject. Cool aircraft too. Thank you very much.

[@rogerbloxham5381]

I started flying 49 years ago and I must say this is the best tail wheel instruction video I have ever seen.The only thing he did not cover is the locking trail wheels are free castering.

[@gmcjetpilot]

5:50 I started teaching as a CFI in early 1990's. I always was taught later taught students to land on mains in trike airplanes and cross wind techniques even if it was a few kts X-wind component.

[@OldCarsAreFun]

I cant stop watching airplanes landing. the feeling just before touchdown must be amazing

[@Noone-rt6pw]

Thank you so much! I appreciate what you taught here.

[@locustvalleystring]

Thanks for sharing Larry Barlett's take on taildragger operation. I'm getting taildragger time in a J3c-65 after many years away from it. I enjoy how the host watches and critiques landings, something I find myself doing quite a bit.

[@dougdouglass1248]

Only thing I would add is: when the tailwheel starts up the p-factor lessens meaning less right rudder required.

[@alexk4894]

Amazing content, thank you for sharing! I'm not a taildragger owner nor a pilot, just flying in a simulator. But I really enjoy flying taildraggers and learning new techniques

[@doranjaffas7351]

I was fortunate in my flight instruction 36 plus years ago. Learn to fly out of an 1800 ft grass strip with a training wheel on the front and Cessna 172s and 150s. The difference is my instructor was really adamant about me landing on the mains and holding that nose off as long as I could while using the rudder to keep it straight. A few years later and before the tailwheel endorsement was actually required I took instruction I a Cessna 140 to prepare for flying my experimental airplane. It really did not take me very long to get comfortable with the airplane. I believe it was in the neighborhood of about 4 hours. I'm sure that is due to the instruction I had a few years before. Now after many years I'm not owning a conventional gear airplane I have owned a couple in the last few years and the one I currently have is a Tailwind W8. It came back fairly quick and I believe that flying a conventional gear airplane makes you a better aviator when it comes to talking off and landing the other what would call training wheel type airplanes. Excellent video. And by the way I really like that Cessna 195!

[@njblanco10]

Thank you for this!

[@victor-emmanuel7485]

What a time! A neurosurgeon and his T6, how awesome!

[@lis819]

Thanks so much! Going for my taildragger endorsement soon in a J3 and this video has been great help :)

[@Grinder-one]

What a beautiful video.

[@oldglory1944]

Ailerons are the largest control and most abused, least understood control since arrival of the Cessna LAND-O-MATIC (nose wheel) of post WW2. Ailerons are 2 to 4 times the surface area of the rudder & 2 to 4 times the leverage of the rudder. . . AND being horizontal to the relative wind, therefore mostly unstalled at any angle of wind. Ailerons provide roll control, x wind drift, & on take off or roll out provide YAW that supplements directional control. Ailerons will ALWAYS over power the rudder if applied into the applied rudder. Rudder is the smallest control, also being VERTICAL to the relative wind, easily stalls LONG before the ailerons do. Take offs & rollouts are ALWAYS X CONTROLLED so that aileron YAW always supplements the rudder. To do otherwise, is to cause a runway deviation that brakes WILL NOT FIX. Good Car habit of turning into the swerve must be addressed in training, because airplane contr is opposite and will accelerate planes demise. RULE: Ailerons PROPORTIONALY OPPOSITE the rudder on take off & roll out will save most runway deviation events. CFI 1507987

[@hotprop92]

You're suggesting that on a X-wind takeoff the ailerons be rolled away from the direction of wind to take advantage of adverse yaw. I would strongly recommend that no one does that. Also there is no vertical or horizontal relative wind. Finally if you hold a plane in a deep stall how do you bring the nose back up as the nose inevitably falls off to one side or another. Ailerons????

[@tailwheel]

Great instructional video. Thanks a lot for sharing.

[@ChrisPinCornwall]

Superb. Thank you for sharing, best explanation I've seen.

[@rinzler9775]

He is spot on about learning to land tail draggers teaches you to land all planes better, including the kiddie tricycle gear.

[@EmilyTienne]

I just love the speaking style and gentle manners of the men and women of that era. So much of what is produced these days seems fast-paced and overly masculinized. Not knocking all of today’s producers, as many of them have outstanding content.

[@kohersh]

Attention spans seem to have shrunk. So the pace has picked up.

[@EmilyTienne]

@@kohersh Exactly. Fast talkers for shorter attention spans.

[@billmorris2613]

I started flying lessons in 1969 and was thought in a brand new Cessna 150. And we were taught to flare in the landing and touch down on the mains and hold the nose gear off as long as possible while steering with the rudder.

[@TimKeyes-pi9fe]

I'm just taking my lessons, in a 150, and I'm being taught the same.

[@bowlinggreenoil]

The photography in this film is awesome. No point and shoot, zoom or automatic light control. Thanks.

[@jacol1979]

Great instructional video...thank you

[@dabneyoffermein595]

Wow, never saw Mary bounce a landing until now. That 195 is still flying by the way.

[@mrsaskriders]

Awesome instruction!

[@TurboDirectSA]

Thank you - great information.

[@gerryortiz7276]

Great video!

[@jeremykemp3782]

what a gem

[@danielnofal]

Excellent explanation

[@kk6aw]

I’m mystified with what was just said. I learned in a 172/150. After I got my ppl I went around and flew anything I was allowed to. Mooney, pipers, sailplane, Citabria only taildragger. My experience was a check ride and turned loose, 20 minutes. This was way back in 1963 about. I had a preconceived idea how to take off and somewhat how to land. My idea on talking off was line up advance throttle, gain speed, push stick forward to lift tail, when flying speed reached ease stick back to lift off. Nice idea but way off the truth. Actually, lined up shoved throttle foreword and lifted off. That Citabria just flew right off the ground. I weighed around 180 and was solo. Had a terrific time playing fighter pilot. I do not understand hours to solo a taildragger of getting a certificate or rating. I suppose the possibility of a ground loop is more of a possibility. I haven’t flown in 50 years so many things have changed.

[@aviatortrucker6285]

Does the Lockheed 12 have a tailwheel lock like the DC-3? I believe the tail is locked during the takeoff roll.

[@anandshukla8782]

Thanks a lot

[@RetiredPilot]

The first mistake manufactures made was putting a wheel in an aircraft. Modern airliners are going back to a stick again. I always taught my students they push on both rudder peddles at the same time only a bit harder on one than the other. And I told them an airplane is like a women treat it gentle and with respect and you will enjoy the ride. ( can I still say that) LOL

[@MrSako270]

been telling my wife that for years, just have to get her more interested in flying to prove it, lol

[@billmorris2613]

Good afternoon to all from SE Louisiana 11 Oct 22.

[@michaelcoghlan9124]

Thank you. M

[@matthewmyers9745]

Loved it all

[@mynickels]

The biggest takeaway was how to get in and out of a cub!

[@Tedthegreatwhitehunter]

195 gets demons at 30 knots

[@aviatortrucker6285]

So if you start out with a takeoff run at full power and the plane starts to left due to “P” factor and torque, you of course, apply right rudder. What happens if you need a little more drag and steer to the left, you would induce drag on the right wing to help also keep you from going too far to the left, no? Takeoff with left crosswind is best while landing with right crosswind is also better.

[@wreckum56]

The only time you use aileron on the ground is when you are taxing if there is a wind to keep the wings down to make sure the wind does not lift it and flip you over and during take off and landing during a crosswind situation keep the wing down and into the wind usually your on one wheel and rudder to keep it tracking straight down the run way.

[@titikindah5504]

I love taildrager airplane

[@RustyClam]

Bumper sticker. My other car is a Stearman.

[@robertstack2144]

What's an APPLICANT

[@billbright1755]

Seat of the pants stick and rudder. Know your aircraft and it’s capability and performance envelope. Never ask her to do anything she can’t do. Angle of attack of ascending and descending propeller arc must be controlled by rudder inputs.

[@backcountyrpilot]

It took me about 35 hours to solo in a Cessna 172. I taught my ex-wife to solo an Aerotrek A220 tail-dragger in 22 hours. It is INSANE that students are not taught in taildraggers and that they are taught to pull power abeam the numbers and do base and final at idle.

[@robertstack2144]

Do you have to be a doctor to afford a T-6?

[@Supercubalaska]

Rad.

[@tomstulc9143]

Glad I not buying fuel for the L12

[@curtc4918]

I'd like to see this crusty old dude trying to teach the current crop of button pushers.

[@dkoz8321]

OMG! I hate taildraggers and their never ending ground loops! Don't let it swap ends is easier said then done. It does it, regardless what I do.

[@aciagriculturalconstructio2264]

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