Flight Training
Tailwheel Endorsement
Are you already a pilot, but haven’t flown a tailwheel airplane? Improve your flying skill, especially your takeoffs and landings, while you learn to tame the taildragger!
AeroDynamic Aviation specializes in tailwheel endorsements, initial training in Citabria 7ECA or Aeronca Champ for Private or Sport Pilot Licenses, and aerobatics/upset recovery. After more than 55 years of flying taildraggers, we are the premier school in the industry. Our instructors go through rigorous training to learn to fly from the backseat so they can turn you into a proficient, tailwheel-endorsed pilot.
We have our own syllabus for tailwheel transition, which can also be used for the accelerated 3-day course. We have a maneuvers guide specific to Citabria to help with mastering tailwheel skills.
Three-Day Tailwheel Course Syllabus
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
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
Prices and rates are subject to change without notice. All training and rentals are subject to the terms and conditions in the Renter’s Agreement. Minimum 24 hours’ notice required for cancellation or you may be charged for the rental time.
C 
ome fly with us in the beautiful San Francisco and Monterey Bay Areas of California. Our flight school facilities are located at Reid Hillview airport in San Jose (KRHV), at the south end of San Francisco Bay, Salinas Municipal Airport (KSNS), and Monterey Regional Airport (KMRY). We offer ground and flight training for sport pilot, private pilot, instrument rating, commercial pilot, multi-engine, ATP, CFI, tailwheel, aerobatics, and mountain flying.