Book Review

[Terry B]

I am seriously considering getting my ticket in a taildragger first. I feel that it will make me a better pilot overall and I probably will end up with a taildragger on a private grass strip. Wanting to make an informed decision, I have been researching different books. I have found some titles and was looking for any imput on them from those that may have read them.

AASA Conventional Gear: Flying a Taildragger by David Robson

The Complete Taildragger Pilot by HArvey S. Plourde

Taming the Taildragger by John Ball

Taildragger Tactics by Sparky Imeson

The library here in Austin Texas is not very pilot friendly and I have not been able to locate any of these books. Before I buy something that is not as informative as I would like, I like y'alls opinion on these or other books.

Thanks

Terry B.

[Dan A]

Terry, The best book by far to read, for the new pilot- to- be, is Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewich (sp?). It is very easy to read and understand.
Dan

[captain_john]

I have read none of those, but I hear they are good.

The quintessential flying book, Stick and Rudder has the basics and between that and instruction I feel comfortable and safe.

Of course, all those books spawn fodder for conversation and that is probably the best vehicle for learning... aside from really flying.

Tell me which one you get and we can discuss the finer points here!

In the meanwhile, let's talk about this:

http://www.airbum.com/articles/ArticleT ... ining.html

CJ

[captain_john]

...another taildragger article:

http://www.landings.com/sites/J-3-book/landing.html

CJ

[Terry B]

Reading Stick and Rudder (for the second time), and yes it is a fine read. Thanks for the two links and there is great information.

What I was hoping to find is a book along the lines of "Taildraggers for Dummies". My intentions are to learn as much as I can prior to beginning my training (which I hope to start this summer after all the frickin rain stops). Things I wanted to learn or get solidified in my mind for example, when moving on the ground in a taildragger with a rear, left quarting wind...you would hold the controls in what configuration (stick forward and to the right, elevator would hold the tail down and left aileron (right stick) would hold the left wing down). By learning alot of the particulars of taildraggers and burning them into my memory, I feel that it will help me learn better and faster without the pressure and confusion of doing it at $100 plus an hour. I would rather spend my money on learning the things I cannot figure out for myself.

Sorry this was longer than I intended, but I wanted to better explain my motives behind a book search.

Terry B

[mustang]

I liken flying taildraggers to pushing a grocery cart backwards. Go to your local supermarket, find a good running grocery cart with the swivelling (castering) wheels in front. Now reverse where you push it from. That's right, push it from the front of the cart, and push it backwards, with the castering wheels trailing. In a safe place, get the cart up to speed and while pushing it backwards, let it go. Notice what happens, it swings smartly around and rolls frontwards, perfectly stable. If this maneuver happened while flying a taildragger, it would be called a "Groundloop" You see, a taildragger is always being persuaded to run "backwards" relative to a grocery cart. The natural tendency of any taildragger aircraft is to run happily, backwards. It's all in the physics of the thing.

A taildragger has a natural tendency to go backwards, just like the grocery cart wants to go frontwards, they share similar running gear. The only thing stopping the taildragger from going backwards all the time is the pilot, tap-dancing on the rudder pedals, and the aerodynamics of the aircraft sitting on top of the grocery cart, providing aerodynamic stability to go frontwards. So, the tricky bit comes on landing when the aerodynamic effect of the airframe is falling off while the speed is still faster than taxi speed. This is the point where the grocery cart attempts to prevail about which direction the aircraft will point.

If you can understand all this you are doing fine and you won't have any problem figuring out where to place the stick in the many possibilities of wind directions. I'm not saying don't bother reading the books. "Stick and Rudder" is the bible for pilots, go ahead and get it.

Enjoy taildragging.
Cheers, Pete

[captain_john]

I really like the shopping cart analagy. I have likened the ground handling to that of a fork truck.

The steering from the rear is very odd! Especially around obstacles like fuel pumps and other airplanes. The tailfeathers can swing around VERY quickly and prang into things!

NOT speaking from experience here!

CJ