Tailwheel Endorsement

$215/hr

Want to become a better pilot? Tailwheel aircraft require more attentiveness toward, and control over, the plane. This is because to the center of gravity is behind the main wheels instead of in front of them, like in a nosewheel plane, which makes the plane apt to ground loop (which is just like it sounds) if the pilot does not keep the plane pointed in the direction of travel. What you learn in a tailwheel translates to more & better control in a nosewheel plane.

Why fly a tailwheel airplane? Because it is challenging and crazy fun! It's bragging rights! It's like taking a step back in time when all airplanes were tailwheels (in fact, it's still called "conventional landing gear")! Getting our tailwheel endorsements made us feel more like pilots than did a Commercial Pilot's license. To us, flying a tailwheel is real piloting!

Training for a tailwheel endorsement involves some ground school, taxi practice, familiarization with our aircraft at altitude, grass 3 point and wheel landings, and pavement 3 point and wheel landings. Time will vary according to pilot experience and skill, but we have found it usually takes about 10 hours of flight and 4 hours of ground instruction.

Here is the list of skills we cover for our tailwheel work.

​Rotax RPMs, throttle control, engine start ____

Initial taxi, rudder control, braking control ____
Taxiing turns ____
Center-line visualization ____
Figure eights (controlled) ____
Figure eights (breakaway) ____

Grass taxi - initial ____
Grass taxi - faster (light tail, flying tail) ____
Grass taxi - tail up/dn under student control ____
Grass taxi - tail up/dn under instructor control ____

Air maneuvering ____
Slow flight ____
Power-off & Power-on Stalls ____
Normal & XW takeoff and control ____
Stabilized approach, fwd slip, low passes ____
Grass 3pt & wheel landings ____
Asphalt 3pt & wheel landings ____