More taildragging

Back at work in Peterborough this week, I had a second lesson booked at Sibson in the Piper Cub. I turned up and my instructor was busy having fun with a student in the Tiger Moth, so I checked the aircraft out.

James joined me and briefed me that we would be doing circuits at Sibson this time. The weather was fantastic, with a light breeze of 220/10 with the runway in use as 24 with left hand circuits, so a small but useful crosswind component.

James did brief me that we would be starting at the very bottom of 24 and that once we went over the ‘hump’ the aircraft may become airborne and that I must NOT push the nose down, hold the stick back and if it flew great, if not it might settle then pick up again. So off we went, tail up and hit the hump which pushed us off the ground, but at a very slow airspeed and yes – of course I started to push the nose down – I have no idea why. James corrected and suggested reasonably forcefully that what I did was not the best idea of all time!

Around we went in the circuit with me re-learning about the use of rudder (only the once though) for a 500’ circuit and a not-too-bad full stop landing. He wanted me to do another full take off from the end of the runway.

Same again please but DO NOT push the nose down if it gets airborne at the hump. So of course we bounce into the air, and while I contest that I didn’t push the nose down (well not much anyway), I certainly didn’t hold the nose up. Another one sided discussion ensued and much chastened, I ran another full stop circuit. Landing not too good as I discovered that there feels like a slight detent in the throttle that needs you to actually pull it fully rearward and hold it there, at the bounce, my hand slipped and a little bit of throttle came in, causing a small balloon, but I got it down off that. Two mistakes, but I really do learn from them, so I absorb the lessons.

In the circuit, I hear a muffled darth vader voice on the radio and I was sure he said ‘Spitfire 1’. I ask James and he says yes, it was a Spitfire as the BBMF are based up the road at RAF Coningsby. The Spitfire pilot was angling for a low pass over the airfield, but says he will call again on his return in half and hour and if the circuit is quiet, fly by.

James shows me and I follow through for the next circuit. Then after that I do a sensible take off, hump and all and a nice circuit, but again, the throttle slips open a bit during the flare. So another full stop circuit – I really have got the take-off with that bloody hump sorted now, but this time the plane feels a little sluggish and is not picking up speed as it was. James notices and takes control. He tries a few things and stays close to the airfield and we do a tight circuit and landing. He power checks it on the ground and it seems to be behaving, so off we go again (maybe a bit of plug fouling).

Take-off again OK and this time a high approach, so I slip this off and get the airspeed down for a better landing with a decent flare, but a bit of wing lift which I sort out with aileron. Two more and James asks me to taxi to the clubhouse and asks if I fancy a solo circuit – DO I? I get a lot of tips about how the plane will handle with only me on board, especially how fast the tail will come up and not to get too nose down, and of course it will be a lot more floaty in the flare. He goes off to the tower the man the radio, watch me with binos and no doubt pray and check the insurance!

I feel like a student on first solo all over again! I taxi out and start the take off run. Yes, the tail comes up quickly. I catch it before it goes too nose down and am easily off at the hump and picking up speed and height far quicker. Around I go and I pull a bit of power off and level out at 500’. I head the far side of the power lines, do the landing checks and call about to turn final. James gives me the wind update and I get the airspeed down and start the descent. I am a wee bit high so I do a brief side-slip to get some height off. James gives me a bit more last minute advice over the radio. Not much of a crosswind and nicely lined up to aim past the hump on the level section of 24. She comes down nicely with good airspeed and I flare and hold a 3 point attitude without ballooning. I hold it for what seems like ages just off the ground, then a wing starts to lift, I counter with aileron and I touch! I can hear James saying ‘Remember, the landing isn’t over in a taildragger until you are parked up!’. So I hold it in a reasonably straight line to slow taxi speed, then wheel around to taxi back and park up.

James is down and greets me as I shut down. He seems relieved and pleased as indeed am I – it really does feel like my first solo all over again! He says it was a nice landing and I don’t think he is just trying to give me a boost – after a lesson where I guess you could say ‘I learned a lot’, it was definitely a highlight.

We fuel up and James asks me to start it up and taxi it around to the hangar – my pleasure! On the way back, I have a chat with his next student who is sat in the Robin – he seems to have enjoyed my landing and we chat for a bit. He is doing the same thing as me – he owns an Arrow based in Ipswich but it getting checked out on the Robin here as he is working in Peterborough during the week.

I get a quick debrief and James suggests that I will assimilate a lot of today while I think about it over the next few days – that is indeed exactly how learn – my old PPL instructor used to say I learned more when I wasn’t flying than when I was.

He thinks next lesson we will do ‘wheelies’ at a nice grass strip just the other side of the A1 and a bit more consolidation and then I should be ready for sign off and bimbles by myself. If I have a good lesson, I probably agree, but I certainly won’t be shy to ask for one more if I feel at all uncomfortable. I am not trying to break records anywhere, I just want to be safe and have fun.

To cap the evening off, when I got back to my B&B (amazingly located 100m from the airfield!!!) and had a shower, I was in my room when I heard the unmistakable noise of a Merlin engine very close by. I dashed to the bedroom window to see a clipped wing Spitfire do a lovely low pass over the airfield, followed a few second later by the Hurricane.

What can I say? The perfect end to a perfect day! I think I am really going to enjoy this taildragging stuff, as well as my touring in the Arrow – they are quite different beasts.

The Arrow is like a comfortable saloon car going at good speed on a clear road with cruise control (OK lets not over do it here), but the Cub is like driving an old Mini with no doors along a dirt track – both great fun in completely different ways!