Regional Tailwheel Recommendation Sought

[j-red]

Two questions, but first a little background. I?ve got about 100 hours in a 6a, and am building an 8. Sold the RV in April and am a little rusty though I?ve logged a couple of flights in a 12 since then just for fun. The new plane should be ready in the next couple of months and so I?m needing to get back in the air to knock the rust off as well as get a tailwheel endorsement.

I understand recommendations about time in type being given to folks coming from spam cans, but I?m curious how important it might be for someone coming with some experience? In other words, is there a typical tailwheel trainer that a local school would have that should do the trick? If so, which is the best: Decathalon, citabria, Cub, etc...?

Also, I?m in Delaware which seems to be devoid of any flight schools much less tailwheel schools. Any recommendations? Particularly if anyone knows of something in Virginia Beach, I?ll be down there anyway for a work trip in a couple of weeks.
Thanks!

[Icarus]

I would be cautious in assuming experience in tricycle gear RVs will translate to conventional gear RVs without prior TW experience.

Conventional gear RVs are pretty forgiving* provided you have a solid base level of competence in TW aircraft.

Worry less about the endorsement and more about getting comfortable, the paperwork will follow. Then find somebody with a 6/7 that won't mind you bouncing a couple under their watchful eyes.

Only thing you can do wrong is to go in half cocked in your brand new airplane and bend some metal.

Just pick a good instructor and worry less about what you fly in, and worry more about getting comfortable in it. That said, of the aircraft listed the citabria may be the closest view over the nose to the RV.

[lawrence]

i agree with Paul in previous post: one of the old r-vator newsletters: "dual in a citabria till you are comfortable and then go fly your tailwheel RV"

[wilddog]

There are two places in KPVG that do it. Chesapeake Aviation and Curtis Eads .

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

Decathlon, not Citabria. The low powered Citabrias have heavy ailerons and relatively low speeds and acceleration. A Decathlon, or Super Decathlon, will be a better transition plane.

I used to fly all those long, long ago...

[N329JR]

I can personally recommend OpenAir Flight Training in Leesburg, VA.
They have a Super Decathlon that you can get dual instruction in and even get checked out in for Solo Rental. While I did NOT use them for a tailwheel endorsement, I did use them for unusual attitude and aerobatic instruction which was a wonderful experience. Good Luck and enjoy the tailwheel training... it is extremely fun and rewarding.

[wilddog]

I may have the names wrong, it?s been a while since I was there. Ask around and you should find it. Butch Eads may still be based there.