Tailwheel Transition
Are you already a pilot, but haven’t flown a tailwheel airplane? Improve your flying skill, especially your takeoffs and landings. Find out what taming the taildragger is all about!
Prerequisite: Sport or Private Pilot License. No FAA written test needed.
Medical: None for training, US Drivers License or Class I, II, or III to fly without instructor, depending on airplane. Light Sport Airplanes do not require a medical.
Time: 10 hrs dual minimum required by AeroDynamic Aviation
Cost: Approximately $2000-$2500 for 10 hours, $2500-3000 for 15 hours
Read Budd Davisson's EAA Sport Aviation article about Taming The Taildragger Pilot (for more about the EAA and Sport Aviation magazine click here)
Three Day Tailwheel Course Syllabus
This course is designed to take a pilot completely new to taildraggers through to a tailwheel endorsement. The only prerequisites are a Pilot License. The course will give a pilot 15 hours of intensive flight training over three days leading to a tailwheel endorsement. If additional hours are needed or desired they will be charged at the regular rates. The training can be done in the following aircraft:
Taylorcraft L-2, 65hp (Sport Pilot eligible) $1900
Aeronca Champ, 85hp (Sport Pilot Eligible) $1975
Zlin Savage Cub, 100hp (Sport Pilot Eligible) $1975
Bellanca Citabria 7ECA, 115hp $2100
Bellanca Citabria 7KCAB, 150hp $2250
Prices and rates are subject to change without notice. All training and rentals are subject to the terms and conditions in the Renters' Agreement.
We will endeavor to match the student with the same instructor for the whole period, although sometimes that won't be possible. It is also possible to mix and match airplanes.
The course does not have to be done in three days, the training can be spread over a longer period. The same topics would be covered in a similar order.
Day 1
Ground Approx time 1:30
- Introduction
- Background discussion
- Aircraft description
- Flight manual
- Limitations
- Weight and balance
- Takeoff and landing techniques
- Emergencies and malfunctions
- Flight briefing
- Preflight
Flight Approx time 2:00 (or two flights with a short break)
- Preflight inspection
- Starting procedures
- Taxi
- Proper control usage on ground
- Checklist usage
- Normal takeoff
- Normal climb
- Coordination exercises
- Steep turns
- Full stall series
- Simulated emergencies including engine failure and power off glides
- Pattern entries ( South County Airport )
- Normal landings and takeoffs (power off approach, 3-point, full stop)
- Taxi procedures
- Pattern exit
- Coordination exercises
- Pattern entries
- Wide runway landing ( Hollister Airport , Watsonville alternate)
- Post flight
Ground Lunch Approx time 1:00
- Tailwheel stability
- Directional control
- Gyroscopic precession
- P-factor
- Takeoff and landing techniques
- Flight briefing
Flight Approx time 1:30
- Normal (3-point) takeoff and full-stop landing
- Bounce recoveries
- Directional control exercises
- Slips
- Pattern exit
- Coordination exercises
- Slow flight
- Pattern entry ( South County Airport )
- Normal (3-point) landing full stop
- Debrief
Ground Approx time 1:00
- Flight discussion
- Review of progress
- Q&A
- Flight briefing
Flight Approx time 1:30
- Normal takeoff and landing
- Slips
- Pattern exit
- Coordination exercises
- Steep turns
- Stall review
- Pattern entry (Reid-Hillview)
- Normal (3-point) landing full stop
- Debrief
Day 2
Ground Approx time 1:00
- Answer student questions
- Spins, spin entries and recoveries
- Short field takeoffs and landings
- Soft field takeoffs and landings
- Grass field landings
- Crosswind takeoffs and landings
- Touch-and-goes
- Flight briefing
Flight Approx time 2:00
- Taxi
- Normal takeoff
- Pattern exit
- Coordination exercises
- Steep turns
- Spins
- Pattern entry (Frazier Lake Airpark)
- Grass landing and takeoff practice
- Pattern exit
- Pattern entry ( Hollister Airport , Watsonville alternate)
- Crosswind landing (3-point) full stop
- Debrief
Ground Lunch Approx time 1:00
- Aircraft systems
- Weight and balance
- Performance problems
- Fuel consumption
- Flight briefing
Flight Approx time 1:30
- Normal takeoff and landing (Hollister, Watsonville alternate)
- Touch and goes
- Crosswind takeoff and landing full stops
- Slips
- Pattern exit
- Pattern entry ( Frazier Lake )
Ground Approx time 0:30
- Flight discussion
- Pre-flight briefing
Flight Approx time 1:30
- Normal takeoff and landing
- Short field takeoff and landing
- Soft field takeoff and landing
- Pattern exit
- Coordination exercises
- Steep turns
- Slow flight
- Pattern entry (Reid-Hillview)
- Normal (3-point) landing
- Debrief
Day 3
Ground Approx time 1:00
- Answer student questions
- Review flight manual
- Wheel landings
- Flight briefing
Flight Approx time 2:00
- Instructor's choice takeoff
- Pattern exit
- Coordination exercises
- Stall review
- Pattern entry ( South County )
- Touch and goes (3-point)
- Go-arounds
- Pattern exit
- Pattern entry (Hollister, Watsonville alternate)
- Wheel landings full stop
Ground Lunch Approx time 1:00
- Student questions
- Wheel landings
- FAR review ( FARs pertinent to tailwheel airplanes)
Flight Approx time 1:30
- Wheel landings
- Touch and goes (normal and crosswind)
- Full stop landings
- Pattern exit
- Pattern entry ( South County )
- Wheel landing
Ground Approx time 0:30
- Flight discussion
Flight Approx time 1:30
- Landings (3-point) full stop
- Pattern exit
- Pattern entry (Reid-Hillview)
- Debrief
- Tailwheel endorsement
Points to be emphasized during instruction
- Safety of flight
- Situational awareness
- Traffic/collision avoidance
- Reference to aircraft attitude in all phases of flight
- Power / Attitude combinations for different phases of flight
- Rectangular airport traffic patterns
Come and fly with us in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area of California. Our flight school facilities are located at Reid Hillview airport in San Jose (KRHV), at the south end of San Francisco Bay, and Salinas Municipal Airport in Salinas, a few miles east of Monterey. We offer ground and flight training for sport pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, instrument rating, CFI (certified flight instructor), tailwheel, acrobatics, and multi engine certificates and ratings.