slipstreamsurfr (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
slipstreamsurfr) wrote2008-02-25 12:35 pm
slipstreamsurfr) wrote2008-02-25 12:35 pm
Entry tags:
current once more...
So over the weekend I got tailwheel current again.
Between the weather and work, I hadn't flown the Citabria since late November and Carol wanted to have me shoot a couple of landings with her to make sure I hadn't forgotten too much. She was very busy saturday but managed to find a slice of time for a pair of landings between lessons and checkrides she was giving.
The winds were out of the east at 110 and we were landing 18. Wind was 9kts, gusting 14 when we started, had risen to 14 gusting 18 by the end of the second landing. I tucked the wing on final and road the centerline all the way down and it was almost a non event on the landing. I gathered a "Nice, let's see another" from the back. The second time around I tucked the wing but let the speed bleed off just a bit much and when the gust died I plopped it in from a bit higher than I wanted. She stayed planted as there was no lift left in the wings but the mains rocked left then right before they settled down. Still keeping the tail where it belonged with a bit more of a struggle I got a "I've seen all I need to see, good work.. she's yours in the morning" she warned me to carry a little more speed, especially when it's gusty..
Sunday morning early I was up in the air just after 8 am after rolling back the hanger doors and puller her out to the taxiway. Cool at 45 degrees she flew well. The wind was running 9kt again, but out of 330 landing 36. Nowhere near as challenging as saturday. I shoot a few landings, then head to Lancaster for a breakfast meetup before I decided the cloud-deck was still quite solid just north of my VERY VFR airport. I flew along the top of the thin layer of clouds, it's sure pretty on top, for a few before I headed back. A few more landings and then it was time to put her in her tiedown.
A very nice morning to turn in 0.9 and 7 landings.
There's something about flying/landing a taildragger that is so totally different from say a C172. You are more in tune, a part of, working in harmony with a taildragger. The two of you in near perfect step as you dance. Man and machine melding into one being as the ground rises and then rolls under your tires. The stick telegraphing things to your brain, the mains almost an extension of your legs, the wings lifting you from your shoulders. She's alive around you, and you through her. For a moment, alive, attuned, you burn brighter in the world. (okay, enough of the weird pilot/plane luvy stuff for now...)
Carol wants to work with me in the back seat of the Citabria now. Teach me the tricks to flying and landing when there is someone in front of you blocking out the panel. She thinks that someday I'll be teaching sport pilots out of an LSA taildragger. She's something else...
Quite a good weekend, between the start of the class, and getting back in the Citabria. Quite a good weekend indeed...
Between the weather and work, I hadn't flown the Citabria since late November and Carol wanted to have me shoot a couple of landings with her to make sure I hadn't forgotten too much. She was very busy saturday but managed to find a slice of time for a pair of landings between lessons and checkrides she was giving.
The winds were out of the east at 110 and we were landing 18. Wind was 9kts, gusting 14 when we started, had risen to 14 gusting 18 by the end of the second landing. I tucked the wing on final and road the centerline all the way down and it was almost a non event on the landing. I gathered a "Nice, let's see another" from the back. The second time around I tucked the wing but let the speed bleed off just a bit much and when the gust died I plopped it in from a bit higher than I wanted. She stayed planted as there was no lift left in the wings but the mains rocked left then right before they settled down. Still keeping the tail where it belonged with a bit more of a struggle I got a "I've seen all I need to see, good work.. she's yours in the morning" she warned me to carry a little more speed, especially when it's gusty..
Sunday morning early I was up in the air just after 8 am after rolling back the hanger doors and puller her out to the taxiway. Cool at 45 degrees she flew well. The wind was running 9kt again, but out of 330 landing 36. Nowhere near as challenging as saturday. I shoot a few landings, then head to Lancaster for a breakfast meetup before I decided the cloud-deck was still quite solid just north of my VERY VFR airport. I flew along the top of the thin layer of clouds, it's sure pretty on top, for a few before I headed back. A few more landings and then it was time to put her in her tiedown.
A very nice morning to turn in 0.9 and 7 landings.
There's something about flying/landing a taildragger that is so totally different from say a C172. You are more in tune, a part of, working in harmony with a taildragger. The two of you in near perfect step as you dance. Man and machine melding into one being as the ground rises and then rolls under your tires. The stick telegraphing things to your brain, the mains almost an extension of your legs, the wings lifting you from your shoulders. She's alive around you, and you through her. For a moment, alive, attuned, you burn brighter in the world. (okay, enough of the weird pilot/plane luvy stuff for now...)
Carol wants to work with me in the back seat of the Citabria now. Teach me the tricks to flying and landing when there is someone in front of you blocking out the panel. She thinks that someday I'll be teaching sport pilots out of an LSA taildragger. She's something else...
Quite a good weekend, between the start of the class, and getting back in the Citabria. Quite a good weekend indeed...
no subject
Bruce was supposed to do his first solo the other day, but it got canceled for some reason..