M

MNForrest

Well Known Member
Greetings Van's Fanatics

I will be in Florida near Jupiter and West Palm doing some work on my documentary March 8-17.

See: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=37937

Looking for some "Local Van's Action". Open to suggestions - and as always - joy rides.

I will also be shooting a segment with a local competitive aerobatics champion and either his Sukhoi or Extra March 10th-13th. We have a 152 available for the air-to-air, but something with a canopy more like an RV will certainly work a lot better. Any experienced formation flyers interested in helping out???

Finally, this trip will take me away from my flight training for a good three weeks (I have other work in FL on either side of the aviation stuff). I have been progressing quickly toward my PPL. Started in December, first solo in January, passed my FAA written last week (93% with three brain-farts and a guess) and made my first cross country a couple of days ago. I don't want to shut down training completely, and I'd like to gain some new and useful experience if at all possible. Since I'm still deciding between building a 9 or a 9A, and tail dragger training is hard to come by in the winter in MN, I'm hoping to get a few practical hours in a ground-looper while in FL. The only time I've ever been in a tail-dragger was back in college - and I left the aircraft prior to landing each time we flew. Suggestions near Jupiter Farms (just north of West Palm) would be appreciated.

Thanks to all for your encouragement and support!

Forrest
 
Hey Forrest,

I used to live down in Palm Beach Gardens and worked out at North County Airport for a while. Then went on to work at Banyan Air Service in Ft. Lauderdale. I now live up in MN and have a hangar out at Lake Elmo. I have a couple of friends that have RV's down there. One has a 4 and one has an 8. I will try to get a hold of them to see if they would be able to assist you. They are always looking for a reason to get up in the air.

Patrick
 
I know that there used to be a guy down in Lantana Airport (Just south of west palm international) that would do tailwheel in a decathalon. Its been three years sense i have moved back so I don't know if he is still there or not. I was down there this summer to North County, and the flight school there was not offering tail wheel of any kind. I will see what I can dig up.
Patrick
 
Welcome to Palm Beach Gardens

:)In the spirit of RV brotherhood, I'd love to help if I can, I owe the community for all the great visits I've made resulting from messages just like yours.

I live in PBG, about 10 due east of F45 (North County Airport). PBG and Jupiter are only miles apart. I'm building an RV8 at my house, fuselage is in the garage, far enough along to sit in with the stick in your hand and imagine.

I highly recommend contacting Sunquest Aviation (561-627-0037) at F45. Owned by great aviation enthusiasts, ask for Tamara and tell her what you're interested in. If you want to do some tailwheel work, Jim Alsip is the CFI that can give you instruction in the Cub. He also does unusal attitude/spin work in a Citabria. They have a full staff of instructors and a good selection of planes, a Diamond, normal Cessnas, and they just added two new Liberty's.

Lantana (LNA) is just south and under PBI. Lots of personality, one of the old style airports with guys and treasures in their hangers.

If you'd like to come over and see my construction, call me at 561-351-8382. I'm out of town right now and probably won't be checking email too often.
 
Tailwheel or nosewheel

I've got 500+ hours in tailwheel airplanes, 350 of that in an RV-4, and now own a taildragger AirCam. I'd love to trade in my sweetheart straight-tail nosewheel Cessna for a tailwheel RV-8.

My STRONG recommendation on RV-9 vs RV-9A? Nosewheel, hands down. On the ground, the visibility in the -9A is wonderful, and in the -9, when I flew it, visibility on my side of the plane was poor and much worse on the other side. (Same with the -7/7A, no surprise.) Think about liability issues on a tight ramp with some clue-free pedestrian. If you wear bifocals, you'll be looking out of the bottom part of your glasses a lot. And if you're tired or having a bad day, a nosewheel will save your hindquarters instead of eating them.

So why am I interested in a tailwheel RV-8? Because I'm a magazine writer and want to maintain tailwheel proficiency for the occasional article. And secondarily, if you lose a brake in a tailwheel airplane, you've got much more control than if you lose a brake in an airplane with a non-steerable nosewheel.

If you're looking for practicality, nosewheels win every time. And you can get just as much enjoyment from a *perfect* landing in a nosewheel airplane as you can with a tailwheel airplane, and perfect landings require a high level of concentration, skill, and effort -- if you set your standards high enough.

Real pilots fly taildraggers? That's a crock. Real pilots fly beautifully, all the time.
 
Thanks!

Bud - Excellent info. Thanks a ton, and I will be calling them. If time allows, I will also make a trip over to see your 8 project. Can you send me some pics of the project and your shop. Need to see what I'll need for lighting.

Ed - Thanks for your insight. Naturally, if I find the TW flying less enjoyable or an increase in liability I'll go with the A. I'd just like to gain the experience to decide for myself.

ff
 
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