Seen on the street in Kyiv.

Words of Advice:

"If Something Seems To Be Too Good To Be True, It's Best To Shoot It, Just In Case." -- Fiona Glenanne

“The Mob takes the Fifth. If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?” -- The TOFF *

"Foreign Relations Boil Down to Two Things: Talking With People or Killing Them." -- Unknown

“Speed is a poor substitute for accuracy.” -- Real, no-shit, fortune from a fortune cookie

"If you believe that you are talking to G-d, you can justify anything.” — my Dad

"Colt .45s; putting bad guys in the ground since 1873." -- Unknown

"Stay Strapped or Get Clapped." -- probably not Mr. Rogers

"The Dildo of Karma rarely comes lubed." -- Unknown

"Eck!" -- George the Cat

* "TOFF" = Treasonous Orange Fat Fuck, A/K/A Dolt-45,
A/K/A Commandante (or Cadet) Bone Spurs,
A/K/A El Caudillo de Mar-a-Lago, A/K/A the Asset., A/K/A P01135809

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Tailwheel Airplanes Keep You Humble

I went flying both yesterday and today. Yesterday was my first flight in two months; there was a good crosswind blowing. I made three acceptable landings at my home airport, which has a narrow runway.

Today, there was virtually no wind. I was too relaxed while landing, for I came as close to a groundloop as I probably can without wrapping the airplane up in a ball. I barely kept it on the runway.

The lesson from the airplane was clear: "Pay attention to me." You cannot get too full of yourself when you fly a tailwheel airplane, for it will show you the folly of pride in a way that a nosewheel airplane will not.

This is a Pitts Model 12 coming in for a landing. The engine is a Russian-made radial of anywhere from 360 to 400HP. To say it is a "hot airplane" is a mild understatement.

8 comments:

Mark Rossmore said...

I recall the wise words of the guy who gave me my first lesson in a taildragger, a Citabria:

"You don't stop flying a taildragger from the moment you untie the ropes until the moment you tie her back down again."

Phil said...

One thing I learned over and over during a 25-year truck driving career and a season of SCCA amateur racing is that you gotta pay unrelenting attention to WTF yer doin'. Obviously, that applies to airplane pilots, too. Glad you didn't C 'n' B.

Phil said...

The enclosed cockpit sez it all.

Glad yer still walking and talking.

Comrade Misfit said...

Phil & BN, even if I had groundlooped it, probably the worst that would have happened would have been dinging a wing.

I kept control. No harm, no foul, only my pride was injured, and it needed the whack. After nearly a thousand hours of tailwheel time, I should have known better.

Sarah said...

So if I may ask, which tailwheel airplane is keeping you humble? I've learned in a trike, but have just started working on an endorsement using a "brand new cub", a Cubcrafters S2. Fun! Well, OK it's more like a brand new pa-11. It has a starter & flaps, but still likes to slip.

Comrade Misfit said...

Sara, one of these.

Sarah said...

Ah, thanks. Nice looking airplanes, and rare these days. I've never been in one.

I laughed at your '10s of AMU' comment, recognizing it immediately as Aviation Monetary Unit. To me, $1000 = 1 AMU. Did I guess right?

Comrade Misfit said...

Aviation Maintenance Unit, and yes, $1,000 = 1 AMU