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First ride in my Cubby at last.

Flying_Fin

Registered User
Medway, Maine
Went flying with my instructor yesterday.

I was sorely disappointed in my performance.

Several problems.

  • Front seatbelt has apparently shrunken, couldn't be my waist has grown, so it was too small for me to fly front seat. Wouldn't think nylon would shrink so much.
  • Instructor's big shoulders pretty well masked out the whole instrument panel, most notabley turn/bank, and altimeter. With an effort I could see the airspeed.
  • Thus: Flying backseat in a plane I'd never flown, I couldn't "feel" climb/descent or really wings level/slip
  • Long time since a taildragger, and taxied too fast at start, and with me in back seat, it got squirrelly on pavement until I realized it and slowed down.
  • The rudder dance came back, but I felt not able to raise the nose high enough, though instructor said it was fine for him. He drives one all the time on floats, and I believe him.

So the bottom line is that as an always safe pilot and non ego-challenged willing student, I will spend more time with instructor, until we BOTH feel comfortable with my ability to bring it back in same condition it went up; meanwhile bought 2" HD nylon webbing to remake one seatbelt longer. The beauty of "Experimental" Then see if performance from front seat is any better.

Wish me luck.

P.S. the new 8.50-6 tires are WONDERFUL.

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Perfect, learning in the backseat will make you a better pilot

Glenn

The view from the back seat... hard to see any instruments behind this great instructor. Brings out the Jedi in me... "Luke, feel the force...."


Great fun, and looking forward to more until I feel ready.

Cheers

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Except for engine instruments, you don't need anything on that panel. Just fly the airplane; will make you a better pilot.
 
All you need is an oil pressure gauge. Everything else is just "Nice to have". Your instructor can monitor the oil. You can learn to fly.

EDIT:
I used to cover the entire panel with a towel or jacket when students were having difficulty. It was amazing how fast they caught on.
 
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All you need is an oil pressure gauge. Everything else is just "Nice to have". Your instructor can monitor the oil. You can learn to fly.

EDIT:
I used to cover the entire panel with a towel or jacket when students were having difficulty. It was amazing how fast they caught on.
Folks worry to much about how long it may take; to check out in tailwheel airplanes. I had to get a 60 year old USAF Retired C130 pilot ;checked out in a C185 for the state, when I was 22 years old. He claimed to have 15K hours[emoji15] . Nice fella.
Typical trigear driver. He horrible " dead foot" syndrome...[emoji36]
He owned a PA12 on Floats but admitted he had never flown it on wheels. I like to check out pilots in 180/85's ONLY after they can fast taxi
in taildown decent. Then transitioning to fast taxi with tail up ( flaps up and partial power). Only after they can compleatly keep the plane centered over the centerline did we start thinking about taking off. Letting someone takeoff in an airplane that may be capable of getting airborne just before they are to wreak it because the plane has great STOL abilitys, never made sense to me.
It took him 11 hrs and numerous trips out threw the runway lights, lots of burning rubber, and smoking brakes.
But we got there eventually. It was pretty humiliating for him I imagine, but the fact of the matter is: He had no concept of the " double shuffle" on the rudders. Or coordinated turns, or staying ahead of the airplane......
I am shocked [emoji44] when I observe lots of modern day trained pilots, how sloppy they fly. And totally mystified when I watch YouTube videos of most of the time, watching all the side to side stick movement pilots do in very light wind conditions...... I would LOCK the rear stick between my legs and make them learn to fly with there feet!
Over controling the aielrons seams to be common place nowadays.[emoji33] I guess they think its a car?

Sent from my LM-X210 using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
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