Tail Wheel Endorsement - GTA

[JungianJugular]

Hi folks,

I'm looking to add a tail wheel endorsement to my belt. Any recommendations?

[Condorito]

Huh??? That doesn't exist in Canada. Just get a Checkout.

[JasonE]

Yup - checkout as per insurance requirements...I finally had enough time to solo the J3 Cub tonight!

[Adam Oke]

As you are probably aware, there is no endorsement or rating to fly a tail dragger. Some guys are very sensitive to using those words when your license blanket rates you on small tail draggers.

If you have an airplane, I would gladly come and give you a check out in a day or two. I've got a couple thousand tail wheel hrs on about 20 different types.

If you are looking for an airplane and instructor -- don't necessarily look for an instructor. Look for a tail wheel pilot and it's a bonus if they're an instructor. There is a guy on here, l_reason, who happens to be both. Get in touch with him if you're willing to drive around the Barrie area. It will be well worth your time and money. He'll charge you an honest and fair rate, he's a top notch instructor, and an experience tail wheel guy. He'll be tough to book for next handful of months as he's busy flying jets, but it will be well worth your wait.

If you can't wait, and still don't mind driving. Check out Woodstock Flying Club. They have a J3 available for rent. You will have to line up instruction with one of their safety pilots. I think, IIRC, the rate is somewhere in the area of $90/hr wet + club memebership? I personally have never flown there, but from what I gather, it looks like one of the few true grass roots flying clubs out there. I know a number of guys that guy their first bit of tail wheel time there.

You'll have a blast, and it will be the best decision you could make in your flying career. I would not have had such a successful single pilot, single engine career with out that first bit of tail wheel time.

[single_swine_herder]

And ..... they aren't "endorsements" .... they are "Ratings" added to your licence.

Your licence may be endorsed to "give" you a rating after you have met the requirements for issue .... endorsing is the act of the Check Pilot or a TC person writing on the licence.

Yes, I'm one of "those guys" that elects to use standard terminology traceable to a definition.

Another one that miffs me is "Co-Captain." as if decisions are made by a game of paper, scissors, rock.

Just staying in the spirit of the thread ..... go get some tailwheel time, you'll enjoy it and you'll likely become more aware of the effects of wind on the aircraft.

SSH

[JungianJugular]

Clearly I didn't do enough homework. Thanks for the correction. I think the reverse tricycle gear rating would be awesome.

[JungianJugular]

As you are probably aware, there is no endorsement or rating to fly a tail dragger. Some guys are very sensitive to using those words when your license blanket rates you on small tail draggers.

If you have an airplane, I would gladly come and give you a check out in a day or two. I've got a couple thousand tail wheel hrs on about 20 different types.

If you are looking for an airplane and instructor -- don't necessarily look for an instructor. Look for a tail wheel pilot and it's a bonus if they're an instructor. There is a guy on here, l_reason, who happens to be both. Get in touch with him if you're willing to drive around the Barrie area. It will be well worth your time and money. He'll charge you an honest and fair rate, he's a top notch instructor, and an experience tail wheel guy. He'll be tough to book for next handful of months as he's busy flying jets, but it will be well worth your wait.

If you can't wait, and still don't mind driving. Check out Woodstock Flying Club. They have a J3 available for rent. You will have to line up instruction with one of their safety pilots. I think, IIRC, the rate is somewhere in the area of $90/hr wet + club memebership? I personally have never flown there, but from what I gather, it looks like one of the few true grass roots flying clubs out there. I know a number of guys that guy their first bit of tail wheel time there.

You'll have a blast, and it will be the best decision you could make in your flying career. I would not have had such a successful single pilot, single engine career with out that first bit of tail wheel time.

I wish I had a TW equipped airplane, or even an airplane for that matter. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Old Dog Flying]

Unless there has been some changes by TC, the tail wheel thingy is a check-out...no endorsement and no rating....just a check-out. I've done plenty of them over my 40 years of instructing in a large number of t-draggers and it has always been treated like any other aircraft check-out.

Barney

[Schooner69A]

SSH: "Another one that miffs me is "Co-Captain." as if decisions are made by a game of paper, scissors, rock."

Don't want to cause a thread drift, but at the last place I was employed, we were all "co-captains" and paid as such. We swapped seats for every leg, so you were designated "captain" for one leg and "First Officer/Co-pilot/2nd-in-command/whatever" for the next.

It's a company that only hires highly qualified personnel who are accorded "Captain" status as soon as they go on line. Been working quite well for over thirty years...

John

[Lotro]

Lots of good suggestions above.

I can vouch for the guys over at http://www.3pointaviator.com/ I logged about 50 hours with them from 2011-2012 had a great experience. They're based in Waterloo now.

Brampton used to offer checkouts on their Super Cub for a lot of money, but that plane is almost always down for maintenance.

Burlington used to do the same.

There's good instruction to be had out there though if you do a little digging. Expect about 10 hours for insurance requirements. Save your pennies, spend a weekend near one of these places and have fun. Dragging tail is the best flying there is. Once you do it, you'll never want to go back to tricycle gear.

~Lotro

[Chris M]

Looks like Brampton is using a Citabria now (7ECA). The quote on their site is 3 hours ground, 10 flying, and ~$3000.

I will most likely end up going there next summer. I'm bummed they don't fly a Super Cub anymore though.