Assdragging

Another taildragging session last night. I wasn’t sure I could make the lesson due to a late meeting, but I managed to get there only to be told that the Cub may not fly again tonight as the left brake failed in the earlier lesson and nearly ground-looped the plane. As we were talking, the engineer appeared and announced that he had fixed the problem by topping up the brake fluid (or something like that).

So my instructor took the earlier student up for a few more circuits followed by a solo circuit while I got ready. It was really hot and humid at about 34 degrees centigrade and ‘god know’ humidity – so performance could be interesting!

Climbed in using my best yoga skills to fold my legs to where they should be and away we went – ‘stop and go’ circuits at Sibson. The airfield was deserted as most of the planes were out on a fly-in to Deauville – due to return later that night.

Performance was interesting. I held it near to the ground to ‘get the wing flying’ as the woods at the end of 24 loomed up. Speed built and we were over the trees. Just remembered the rudder on the first turn this time, but I have to say I was feeling somewhat tense – I think my work was intruding. First circuit higher and wider than normal (I think the locals don’t like small and low circuits). My landing was OK’ish, but I didn’t get the stick right back and the wing lifted a little and I was too slow to correct, but the ground roll was OK. So off again.

Basically, we did five ‘stop and go’ circuits. I could feel James in the back willing me to make a ‘greaser’ and I know he wanted to send me solo again, but for some reason, it wasn’t coming together. I did however learn or reinforce a lot of lessons about handling at very slow speeds with a crosswind.

- Keep the into-wind wing down and react quickly in the flare
- Get the stick right back in the flare
- Get the speed under control then sort the height
- Keep active on the rudder pedals, the landing isn’t over until you switch off

In the end, that is far more important to me than any ‘world-record’ in tailwheel sign-off. I need to know that I know how to handle the aircraft and be confident – if that takes a few more lessons, then that is what it takes!

Having said that, of course the final landing was actually good – it all came together. I was also confident on the ground handling and controlling the landing run. As we taxi’d back he said that he would have sent me solo, but that we had run out of time as his next student was waiting.

We discover that the aircraft the next student needed wasn’t back from Deauville yet but was expected in 15 minutes. On trying to book another lesson, the school told me that the Cub was going to another school for two weeks and the only evening slot James had free was next Friday. James suggested I might like to try the Tiger Moth biplane – although he did concede it was quite different from the Cub – but fun anyway.

I think I will give next week a miss as the wife wonders why I am flying every week during the week on full rental and then again at weekends in my share on the Arrow – Oooops! Brownie points draining away! So what I might do is a quick half-hour in the expensive Tiger Moth in two weeks, then back to the Cub when it is back and go for sign-off.