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RV Transition Training

Subwaybob

Well Known Member
So here I am maybe 6 months ago "almost done with the RV" and I'm thinking I don't need any transition training. I should be able to fly this thing. (Oh and I had no tail wheel hours either)

A week or so ago. (I'm going to spit out a few names some of you here in Dallas may recognize) Again, so here I am last week. I think "What the heck, I'll go get my tail wheel endorsement and MAYBE fly in an RV again before I test fly mine. There is only one tail wheel person for me and it's Carol Walker in south Dallas. She gave me my license and I wanted her to do my tail wheel also. So I call here and start flying her Citabria, which was a blast BTW... Thought I would call Alex Domincies and you know, Just get a flight for kicks. He can't teach me too much, right? (Sarcasm). I KNOW THIS IS LONG but I'm getting to the good part. So I set up for today, to fly with Alex at 8am and Carol in the Citabria at 11. Yeah you know where this is going. I have only flown in one RV and didn't take off or land it. Well I did with Alex of course. Now if any newbie has never flown in an RV you don't move the stick or rudders. You look left and that's the way you go. This is of course after you are on the upwind climbing at a very subtle 1300fpm on 75% power. We leveled off and did a few maneuvers which as I said the stick was apparently linked to my thought process of me wanting to go left and it did as I thought. I asked Alex about this and he said this was an option on the 7. We are BTW doing these maneuvers with the air conditioner on. Yep I said AC. He has one in the 7. So we come back and get back in the pattern and do some slow flight because there are Mooneys and Bonanzas in front of us and you just can't fly at a normal attitude behind slower airplanes. Here we are hanging by the prop like those RC planes do in the competitions and getting ready to land. We land and Alex had to tell me 4 times to get out of his airplane. I'm armed all the time, so I'm thinking this is mine and he can just go fly his 10. Well we agreed that if I get out I can fly again Tuesday which might as well be next year. Alex was nice enough to sign my Log book that I did a great job, bid be farewell and headed back to his house with a hangar attached to it. I hate him.

Then I flew in the Citabria....

See you Tuesday Alex!!

Training review. Alex is a phenomenal teacher. Everyone need at least a few hours with a transition trainer before you fly. The sink rate, the speed, the power, just can't be conferred in words or type. Alex has taught many people on here and you can find him in the training section of Doug's (Taught by Alex) site here. Go see Alex and learn how to fly your sky Ferrari!!

(Sorry if this turned into an ad but I feel it's very important after today)

Oh and I flew my Piper Saratoga over to Midway Regional to fly an RV, followed by a Citabria, and closed it out with a Saratoga ride back to Mesquite TX (15 min). WHAT A LIFE!!! That's a poor country boy living rich. Of course any day in an RV is a rich one...
 
Awesome!!!

Hey Bob......great story! I have been flying a Super Decathalon for my tailwheel time....but Gary Palinkas let me land his -6 when he gave me my first
RV ride a few weeks ago.....I am going to keep building my tw time in the decath.....but will definitely get trans training when the time comes!!!:)

YOL BOLSON!
 
Good decision

I began flying in 1980. I have around 600hr CFI time. I've flown charter, corporate, and commuter airlines. I have well over 1000 hrs of tailwheel time, 95% of which is in Extras and Pitts. I feel pretty comfortable with a very responsive, high horsepower, tailwheel aircraft.

I am starting my transition training this week with Jan Bussell in his -6. No matter how experienced I might think I am, it would be really dumb for me to fly my brand new -7 when there is the opportunity to learn the specifics of a new to me aircraft from someone with more experience than me.

I cannot think of one good reason someone who can afford to own an airplane would not want to get transition training. Not one.

Fly smart!:)
 
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