An Aviator's Field Guide to Tailwheel Flying: Practical skills and tips for flying a taildragger

by Jason Blair

Overview

In "An Aviator's Field Guide to Tailwheel Flying," author Jason Blair shares his experience in a variety of tailwheel-equipped aircraft. This book describes major phases of flight and considerations that transitioning or tailwheel pilots may find useful as they look to increase their proficiency. The discussion goes beyond the physical flying skills into other tailwheel aspects, such as operational differences in makes and models and ages of aircraft.
Pilots of aircraft such as Cessna 180s, Cubs, Champs, Maules or other aircraft of similar type and size will find this content helpful. This book is the author's result of years of instructing and taking notes previously passed on to his own students, now compiled and shared with the broader aviation community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619545892
Publisher:	Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.
Publication date:	05/22/2018
Pages:	100
Sales rank:	1,030,728
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Jason Blair is an active single- and multi-engine instructor and a FAA Designated Pilot Examiner with over 5,000 hours total time and over 3,000 hours instruction given, and he has flown over 100 different makes and models of general aviation aircraft. He has issued over 1,000 pilot certificates in his role as Examiner. He works and has worked for multiple aviation associations that promote training and general aviation. He also consults on aviation training and regulatory efforts for the general aviation industry.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction ix

1 Finding the Right Tailwheel Instructor 1

2 The Basics 5

3 Getting It Started 9

4 Tailwheel Taxiing 13

5 High-Speed Taxiing 17

6 Normal and Soft-Field Takeoffs 19

Skipping 21

Yaw Fluctuation 22

Takeoff Stall 22

7 Short-Field Takeoffs 23

8 Tailwheel Aircraft Landings 25

The Three-Point Landing 28

The Wheel Landing 29

Tail-Low Wheel Landing 32

9 Short-Field and Soft-Field Landings 35

Short-Field Landing 35

Soft-Field Landing 36

Landing Challenges 37

10 Tailwheel Crosswind Operations 39

Crosswind Taxiing 39

Crosswind Takeoffs 40

Cross wind Landings 41

11 The Ground Loop 43

12 Considering Differences Between Tailwheel Aircraft 45

Different Types of Tail Wheels 45

Narrow or Wide Gear, Long or Short Aircraft 47

Toe or Heel Brakes 47

Tandem or Side-by-Side Seating 49

Engines 50

13 Older Planes 53

Parts Availability 54

Mechanic Availability 54

Insurance 55

Manuals and Documentation Availability 56

Benefits of Older Aircraft 57

14 The Many Modifications of Tailwheel Aircraft 59

Bigger Engines 59

Propeller Changes 60

Short-Field Performance Modifications 61

Big Tires 61

Main Gear Modifications 63

Bungees vs. Spring Steel Gear 63

Tail Wheel Changes 64

15 Primary Training and Testing in a Tailwheel Aircraft 67

16 So You Want To Be a Tailwheel Instructor 69

17 "General Rules" of Tailwheel Flying 73

Resources 77

The Tailwheel Endorsement 81

About the Author 83