The last two weeks at Tailwheel Town
As I wrote in last week's newsletter, I took a week off to go backpacking in Idaho with Actor/Writer/Producer Doug Copsey and Emmy Award winning Cinematographer and Director, Norman Nelson. Here's a pic of the three of us at Duck Lake.
L to R, Brian, Norm, Doug at our campsite at Duck Lake
What a fun time with good friends.
Another few days saw another trip to Idaho, and a flight to Johnson Creek. Johnson Creek is an interesting place. Its runway is grass, smooth and huge.
Angela with her 182 on the huge runway at Johnson Creek.
Some people would say that it's not a very challenging back country strip, but it's a great intro to back country flying, not because of its runway, but because of its approaches and departures. The runway is nice and big so that the newcomer to back country strips isn't overly challenged, but the approaches provide just enough challenge that a pilot should be smart about getting in and out. Angela took her 182 in there and did a very nice job of getting the speed right and flying the approach and departure while
close enough to the canyon wall. She's now ready for more challenging strips.
Lolling in the grass at Johnson Creek.
Young Eagles at Sisters
Back at home, a bunch of us flew Young Eagles at Sisters Eagle Airport. I think it's important for some of us who have a voice to use that voice to tell the rest of you how great flying can be. A young eagle flight can be a start for many kids.
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The Young Eagles at Sisters.
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The Sisters EAA Chapter is a bit unusual in that we now have had two pilots flying young eagles who were once young Eagles themselves. Cami Benson was the first, in fact as I recall, when she made her first young eagles flight, she was younger than her passenger, But this last time we had another former Young Eagle who became a Young Eagle Pilot. Way to go, Tyler Head! And Tyler is a tailwheeler, flying a 170 now, after getting his PPSEL in a 140. Afterward, I made good on my new pledge to fly with one of my two students! Janet Tommy and I went up to Madras in the PA12 and did lots of simulated engine failures in the pattern. She's ready to solo now because there is no question that she will know to lower the nose to get best L/D airspeed and to get back to the runway. I'm so proud of her!
Janet taxies out of Tailwheel Town on her way to practice in the PA12.
Travis Decker arrived for his Tailwheel Endorsement. This guy was kind of fun to fly with. His desire to learn coupled with his intelligence and knowledge made the flights with Travis fun and engaging. We ended up combining a tailwheel endorsement with some elements of a Master Class and actually did some Dead Stick Landings and fiddled with new teaching techniques for that maneuver.
Travis is captured in the mirror while working his way down in the irrigation pivot. Most pilots don't fly the pivot with his ability!
This Week's Article
"Lurking" is probably the first in a series of articles I'll post. What do they all have in common? I've decided to write about maneuvers that are either really difficult or which we just don't get called upon to do. "Lurking" is the first and I plan to practice it with a few of my more advanced fliers. See what you think after you read "Lurking". Next will be either the "Dutch Touch", the "Deadstick Landing", or the "Tailwheel Drag". Many of you (and you know who you are) have objected to my practice of creating a link out of the title of the new article, which takes you to the website. From there I feel it's a simple thing to select the new article, but a lot of readers want the link to take them directly to the article. Oh, come on! There's plenty to see on the site and that is why the link takes you there!
A Previously Posted Article Worth Another Look
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The Cub shortly after its transformation from trailer to Airshow Performance.
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It was interesting to me that the Geezer Patrol would look at my Cub on its trailer and comment, "Well, ya got yore work cut out for ya!", but they would be commenting on an airplane which would be doing aerobatics in front of a crowd in a mere forty-five minutes. So, it just goes to show you that "Looks aren't everything!"
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STAY CONNECTED
Tailwheel
Productions
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October 5, 2018
Remember, every pilot who completes a Tailwheel Endorsement or Stick and Rudder Master Class at Tailwheel Town will receive a complimentary Gift Certificate from Oregon Aero.
