Officially started my tailwheel endorsement today!

[cjensen]

Fellow RV builder, and friend of mine, started our tailwheel endorsements today! We got up early, and drove to the airport to meet with our instructor (who also happens to be a friend with a nice, ORIGINAL J3!!).

We started off with some airwork to get used to the airplane, and then went to the grass to start practicing takeoffs and landings.

I gots to tells ya (as CJ would say... )...this just ain't that bad. I did four landings on the grass, one on the pavement, and all takeoffs were off the pavement. All landings were three pointers today, and wheel landings may be in store next weekend!

I did over control the rudder on one takeoff, but it was just a little zigzagging. I didn't feel like we were heading for the weeds at any point.

Bottom line for today is...I HAD A BLAST!!!

There is something really special about flying an old airplane, and today will be with me forever!

I also had a chance to fly (not land though), an Aeronca Chief that a guy had there. He was just going for a joy ride, and I had just finished my lesson. So, while Rob was up in the Cub, I went for a ride in the Chief and got some stick (yoke) time in that!

Great morning!! Here's some pics...

The Cub-



The Chief-


Rob took some additional pictures, but I'm waiting for that email.

I'll post those when I get 'em!

Oh, by the way, the setting at this airport is just beautiful! It's also a horse farm!!

[cjensen]

Got the email and pics from Rob (actually his wife, Christine...), so here are a few more...

Me trying to get in the front seat-


Taxiing out for the first takeoff-


And after our flights-


Again...VERY COOL!!

[captain_john]

WAY COOL, Chad!!!

You are gonna love it!

CJ

[dons]

Good going Chad! I've never flown a tail dragger, so it will be interesting to hear what you say about training as you progress. That airport has better looking grass than my yard (at any time of the year).

[N200PF]

VERY SWEET CHAD!!!

...nice to have the wheel in the back where it belongs right?!?

- Peter

[cjensen]

We took a few more pics of our flying last weekend from the farm strip.

Here's the AWESOME farm hanger the Cub is kept in-



Here I am sitting at idle, posing for the shot-



A couple takeoff shots-




And a wheel landing-



I am uploading a couple of takeoff videos to YouTube right now, and when they are done, I'll post the link to them.

We are planning to get some good landing videos this coming weekend!

[N200PF]

Hey that means you have to do a coupld good landings to get some good landing videos Chad!!!

HOW IS IT GOING?!?

- Peter

PS - I'll have to bring the -6 over this summer so you can teach me how to land it better!

[cjensen]

It's going great! I LOVE it!!

I would have to kick my own butt if I had built the A! This is a blast!

It's the most fun flying I've done to this point. Probably only to be trumped by the RV being completed!

I'm sorta nervous about recording the landings this weekend...they will be wheel landings on pavement for the first time.

[svanarts]

Once you get that Cub down, the RV will be NUTHIN'!! RV tailwheels are the easiest to land. I have about 800 hours in Champs and Chiefs and they were much harder to land; and they are about the easiest to land of the old taildraggers.

[aerial]

That's a beautiful plane. Are you having a fun time keeping it straight?

[svanarts]

Where you been brutha?!

[aerial]

Where you been brutha?!

Traveling and flying, more of the former...Oregon, Virginia, Minnesota, Virginia, Hawaii, California.....in the last 6 months..... tomorrow the flight instructor says we are flying to, Placerville, Jackson, Rancho Murieta, Lincoln, Auburn, Cameron Park, and Georgetown, after which time he will sign me off to solo to these airports.

[cjensen]

That's a beautiful plane. Are you having a fun time keeping it straight?

So far I found the most difficult part not to be keeping it straight...it's the HIGH sink rate that developes with no power in the Cub...

OH! And great to see you back Aerial!!

[svanarts]

That high sink rate will be good practice for your RV.

[svanarts]

Where you been brutha?!

Traveling and flying, more of the former...Oregon, Virginia, Minnesota, Virginia, Hawaii, California.....in the last 6 months..... tomorrow the flight instructor says we are flying to, Placerville, Jackson, Rancho Murieta, Lincoln, Auburn, Cameron Park, and Georgetown, after which time he will sign me off to solo to these airports.

Get him to throw Oakdale in there! Come visit!

[captain_john]

I LOVE it!!

I would have to kick my own butt if I had built the A! This is a blast!

It's the most fun flying I've done to this point.

Nuff said!

CJ

[aerial]

So far I found the most difficult part not to be keeping it straight...it's the HIGH sink rate that developes with no power in the Cub...

I know the feeling all too well. The only way I have been able to "arrest" the decent on this Mustang is to add about 50-100 rpm when I start the flare. I have tried to land it without power and it wants to bounce and take me for a wild ride.