tailwheel endorsment

[drseti]

Seems very clear to me - the FAR's are vague and grey in this area --LOL!

That's why FAA issues Letters of Interpretation (LOI). Not precisely your question, but here's something from today's AOPA ePilot along similar lines:

QUESTION: Does the completion of a flight instructor practical test also automatically fulfill the requirement for a flight review under 14 CFR 61.56 ( http://www.aopa.org/epilot/redir.cfm?adid=18717 )?

ANSWER: No. According to a 2008 FAA letter of interpretation ( http://www.aopa.org/epilot/redir.cfm?adid=18718 ) (LOI), you must have successfully completed a practical test for a pilot certificate (e.g. private, commercial, etc.) in order to take advantage of the flight review exemption. According to the FAA the flight instructor practical test is not a check of pilot proficiency, but rather of instructional skill. However, you may use the checkride to simultaneously complete a flight review if the examiner agrees to assess your piloting proficiency and provide the appropriate endorsement in your logbook.

Seems to me, something similar applies to the tailwheel endorsement: not automatically a flight review, but can be combined with one if instructor agrees to log it as such.

Now, can you guys tell me how to smoothly land this damn thing????

Sorry, sport - can't be done!

[bryancobb]

Hi seastar:
A new rating is ALWAYS a de-facto Biennial. (Flight Review for new folks)
An Instrument Competency Check is ALWAYS a de-facto Biennial.
Meeting Wings program requirements is ALWAYS a de-facto Biennial.
A tailwheel endorsement IS NOT a de-facto Biennial, but it MAY be
allowed to be used for yours, IF THE INSTRUCTOR says you can,
AND IF he/she puts 2 different endorsements in your log. (1. Flight Review
endorsement, 2. Tailwheel endorsement)

"Tailwheel" is NOT a "Rating." It is an "Endorsement" within the "Rating" that you already hold (Airplane Single Engine Land). Taking your Biennial in the Super Cub IS ALLOWED. You can do it without a medical as long as the instructor knows you don't have a medical. This is because he must know you are not the PIC. He doesn't have to make sure your medical is current to give you a Biennial.

Now...after the biennial/tailwheel training is finished and he/she has put the 2 required endorsements in your log, and I'm sure you know this, you can't fly the Super Cub without a medical, but you CAN go fly your Carbon Club SS, as soon as it gets to you.

Now...on landing the Super Cub well. I had a friend/student whom I was teaching to do wheel landings in his Kitfox. The Kitfox is NOT and easy plane to land, especially wheel landings. In addition his had the bungee gear removed and replaced with spring aluminum. The secret to him "GETTING IT" is as follows: "Bill, level off about a foot or two high and add enough power to keep flying. Then fly the entire length of the runway, only a couple of feet high." We did this dozens of times with NO INTENTION OF LANDING. We focused on learning the "sight picture" when the fuselage is LINED UP with the runway. After he mastered this and was able to consistently fly 2 ft high, down the runway, while properly lined up, I told him to do the following: "Bill make a mental note of what RPM setting it took to fly down the runway. Then next time, level of at 2 ft like you have been doing, but set the throttle to 25 RPM lower. Then just do exactly the same thing you have been doing on the last 2 dozen approaches. The plane will not be able to go the length of the runway this time. It will lose its' last 2 ft of altitude, inch by inch. Then when the wheels chirp, it should be a SUPRISE that they have touched, and when they do...move the stick forward about 4" to STICK the plane to the ground.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT intending this to be internet flight instruction! I am just relaying what worked for "BILL."

Bryan Cobb, Commercial/Instrument Airplane SEL, Commercial Pilot Helicopter, CFI Sport Pilot

[seastar]

Thast sounds like a very good Idea.
I am sure the sight picture is the problem.
Weather permitting, I am flying the Super Cub tomorrow and will try the "level down the runway trick".
Thanks for the input.
Bill

[Doss79]

I fly a Cub.

I threw all that instructional stuff out the window. I was overthinking way too many things.

This is what worked for me:

Simply fly the airplane, keep it level and try not to touch the ground as long as possible....eventually it will. There, you're wheel landing is done:)

[seastar]

Doss79
Now that's my kind of advice -----

Yesterday, out of 10 attempts 8 were "crashes" and 2 reasonable landings, the last two.
I guess I am getting a little better???
Thanks!
Bill

[bryancobb]

Hey Seastar,

If you "crashed" 8 times...

What were you flying, MicroSoft Flight Simulator?

HaHa!

If your last 2 were reasonable, it sounds like you are right on the verge of "getting it."