Advice on Taildragger flying
04-21-2010, 09:53 AM
#12
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Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: USAF
Posts: 1,398
Originally Posted by Razorback09
Hey yall I'm a 60 hour (in Maule Mxt-7's) private pilot at a Part 141 school. I've recently began my tailwheel transition and I'm having a lot of fun with it. I have trouble with getting squirrely and kindof swerving back and forth on both the end of the takeoff run, after the tail comes up, and on the landing a couple seconds after touchdown. I try to go easy on my rudder inputs but I still seem to swerve.. Any suggestions from the seasoned tailwheel guys? 
Also, I'm sure more seasoned pilots have/will comment/ed but I've gotten away with keeping positive pressure on both rudder pedals... and then easing up to turn - "feeling it out" sorta.
Don't know if that helps.
04-21-2010, 02:27 PM
#13
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Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: AT-301-600G
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if you are over-controlling, you may be holding the rudder deflection too long. i like to be constantly moving the rudder in a very staccato "push-and-center, push-and-center, push-and-center" kind of motion. one deflection-then-center to start the nose moving in the direction you want, then another deflection-then-center to stop that movement.
04-22-2010, 06:46 AM
#15
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Originally Posted by SunDog
if you are over-controlling, you may be holding the rudder deflection too long. i like to be constantly moving the rudder in a very staccato "push-and-center, push-and-center, push-and-center" kind of motion. one deflection-then-center to start the nose moving in the direction you want, then another deflection-then-center to stop that movement.
Originally Posted by Sky Rascal
It good to see there are still taildragger pilots being made. I thought it was only us gray eagles left flying them.
. Therefore, taildragger experience is necessary. Besides all the coolest airplanes are taildraggers 
.
04-22-2010, 07:02 AM
#16
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Posts: 3,945
Good attitude to have.
As you are building time it is always much more enjoyable to build that time in a taildragger. Often times you can find a citabria cheaper than a 172 and you can have a heck of a lot more fun. It actually makes endless trips around the pattern fun.
Bonus if they have chutes there and can get you signed off for some light acro. The citabria is a great plane for some light positive G aerobatics.
As you are building time it is always much more enjoyable to build that time in a taildragger. Often times you can find a citabria cheaper than a 172 and you can have a heck of a lot more fun. It actually makes endless trips around the pattern fun.
Bonus if they have chutes there and can get you signed off for some light acro. The citabria is a great plane for some light positive G aerobatics.
04-23-2010, 07:25 PM
#17
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Sounds like you got the right idea with shorter movements and softer.
Also when rolling out keep in mind how fast the nose is already yawing and how your current rudder position will change that over the next couple of seconds. When thinking ahead you may realize the rudders current position may be too much after 2 seconds pass. Here's something that may help with that... When you're applying rudder to stop a swerve, try gradually bringing the rudder to neutral as you are stopping the turn. That way you end up back at square one with a straight and controllable airplane. Once the nose is not turning anymore then apply corrections to start turning where you want to go. That should help reduce leaving input in for too long and make movements more deliberate.
Another thing to think about is anticipating things that can cause surprise swerving. For example a sideways landing, raising/lowering the tail, bouncing on rollout, etc. If you know it's coming then you can prepare to react to it.
One thing you may like is glider towing. It could be a good way to get time before your commercial. At non-profit glider clubs, member tow pilots fly for no profit which only requires a private. Although, by the FARs you'll need 100hours and training before you can tow, not to mention jumping hoops with club rules and insurance requirements.
My flight school had the same mentality about taildragger flying, as not being necessary. I think taildragger training is very productive though. Whenever I went to fly the Cub I saw it as a relaxing break from the normally intense flying and reminded me that flying was fun. Not to mention it helped sharpen stick and rudder skills by going back to basics...
Taildraggers are the coolest! Have fun!
P.S. I'd love to get my hands on the controls of a Maule one day.
Also when rolling out keep in mind how fast the nose is already yawing and how your current rudder position will change that over the next couple of seconds. When thinking ahead you may realize the rudders current position may be too much after 2 seconds pass. Here's something that may help with that... When you're applying rudder to stop a swerve, try gradually bringing the rudder to neutral as you are stopping the turn. That way you end up back at square one with a straight and controllable airplane. Once the nose is not turning anymore then apply corrections to start turning where you want to go. That should help reduce leaving input in for too long and make movements more deliberate.
Another thing to think about is anticipating things that can cause surprise swerving. For example a sideways landing, raising/lowering the tail, bouncing on rollout, etc. If you know it's coming then you can prepare to react to it.
One thing you may like is glider towing. It could be a good way to get time before your commercial. At non-profit glider clubs, member tow pilots fly for no profit which only requires a private. Although, by the FARs you'll need 100hours and training before you can tow, not to mention jumping hoops with club rules and insurance requirements.
My flight school had the same mentality about taildragger flying, as not being necessary. I think taildragger training is very productive though. Whenever I went to fly the Cub I saw it as a relaxing break from the normally intense flying and reminded me that flying was fun. Not to mention it helped sharpen stick and rudder skills by going back to basics...
Taildraggers are the coolest! Have fun!
P.S. I'd love to get my hands on the controls of a Maule one day.
04-25-2010, 07:14 AM
#18
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Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 85
It's too bad todays students don't see any benefit to tailwheel flying. I have been flying 121 for 15 years, and to me it's VERY obvious which of the pilots I fly with have tailwheel experience and those that do not. Some just have never mastered the rudder.
04-25-2010, 07:56 AM
#19
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Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,945
Originally Posted by xjcaptain
It's too bad todays students don't see any benefit to tailwheel flying. I have been flying 121 for 15 years, and to me it's VERY obvious which of the pilots I fly with have tailwheel experience and those that do not. Some just have never mastered the rudder.
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