Thinking of buying one so my daughter can get her private, have a TU206 but not a good platform for training. Is starting with a tailwheel a good idea? Also, I would put 29" on it and take BC. Thoughts from the group?

Why not? I mean it's a Maule and all, but she'd learn to deal with the stigma with time and therapy.

Gump

right now I am training in a C-170B so I don't see why a tail wheel would be a problem. I think that it will make a better pilot out of you.

just my 2 cents

Reuben

GumpAir wrote:Why not? I mean it's a Maule and all, but she'd learn to deal with the stigma with time and therapy.

Gump

I am not sure i get the stigma thing, I have no tailwheel time but have heard they can be a handful in winds, just was wondering if it may be too much for her to learn in?

cstolaircraft wrote:right now I am training in a C-170B so I don't see why a tail wheel would be a problem. I think that it will make a better pilot out of you.

just my 2 cents

Reuben

Thanks, so you had no time before starting in a tail wheel?

There used to be a LOT of us who started out in nothing but a tailwheel!!!!

Gump

GumpAir wrote:There used to be a LOT of us who started out in nothing but a tailwheel!!!!

Gump

ok, so with the right instructor it would work well, there is a 69 with F-220 for under $20k, seems like a reasonable deal if not too much for her

Learned, soloed,and flew my first 20hrs or so in a 65 hp tailwheel Champ.
Remember, once upon a time there was no such thing as a nose wheel.
---------Chance

chance wrote:Learned, soloed,and flew my first 20hrs or so in a 65 hp tailwheel Champ.
Remember, once upon a time there was no such thing as a nose wheel.
---------Chance

Well, Gump said the same thing, so I guess I am convinced. So Maule M-4 or Stinson 180?

All of the 2/4 place factory built conventional gear putt putts have been used as primary trainers for over 70 years now. Cubs, Champs, Cessna 120/140s, Luscombes, etc, etc....

Like Fords and Chevys. To each their own as to what they think is best... But in all reality not a whole lot of difference.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:All of the 2/4 place factory built conventional gear putt putts have been used as primary trainers for over 70 years now. Cubs, Champs, Cessna 120/140s, Luscombes, etc, etc....

Like Fords and Chevys. To each their own as to what they think is best... But in all reality not a whole lot of difference.

Gump

Thanks for the honest opinion, is $20-25 too little to pay or can you get a real flying machine for that kind of money? I have seen a number of Stinsons and one Maule in that range

Hell, I think guys are finding C150's for around 10K right now, and conventional gear trainers are not much more. Airplanes, especially older Spam Cans, aren't worth squat in this depressed market. Ask around the type forums, and check with guys here who have them.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:Hell, I think guys are finding C150's for around 10K right now, and conventional gear trainers are not much more. Airplanes, especially older Spam Cans, aren't worth squat in this depressed market. Ask around the type forums, and check with guys here who have them.

Gump

good idea, just seems like quite a bit of plane for the money

A Maule M-4 with a 220 Franklin for under 20k? That sounds like way too good of a deal. Why is it so cheap? Run out engine, bad fabric or what? If it still has some time left on the engine and nothing comes up in the pre-buy inspection I would be all over that plane. A Maule with that kind of power would be a better plane than a Stinson with a 150 or 165 Franklin. From what I've heard fuel burn wouldn't be much more either.

smorgan99 wrote:Thinking of buying one so my daughter can get her private, have a TU206 but not a good platform for training. Is starting with a tailwheel a good idea? Also, I would put 29" on it and take BC. Thoughts from the group?

Sounds like the Tweetos.

smorgan99 wrote:Thinking of buying one so my daughter can get her private, have a TU206 but not a good platform for training. Is starting with a tailwheel a good idea? Also, I would put 29" on it and take BC. Thoughts from the group?

I started in tailwheel and instruct all my guys in tailwheel, as long as you get a instructor that is tailwheel guy it's no biggie.

As for the Stinson vs Maule, I'm a Stinson guy, each aircraft has it's highs and lows, just test fly each and see what you like.

Also why is the 206 not a good training platform? I've flown 207s and found them to handle like a grown up 172, it's no fire-breathing dragon

......check with guys here who have them.

Dammit, Gump, some of us that don't have to sell are very comfortable in our denial! Might have to check with a realist!

Back to the M-4.
STARTING in taildraggers is the best way to make sure a "pilot" finishes training and not an "airplane driver".......
IMHO.
Be sure to have someone who knows tube 'n fabric planes REAL well do the pre-buy for you. Fabric problems after the purchase is bad enough, but 'if', when you go to replace fabric, you find you have to replace a bunch of rusted tubes, too, well, that is not what you want!
Sounds like a good price if it is in 'actual' reasonable shape. After reading my comment above, you will probably 'discount' my opinion on price!

lc

a turbo 206 would suck as a primary trainer, its fuel burn doing maneuvers in 20+ gallons an hour and the wear and tear on the turbo could be very expensive. I taught for a summer in a j-3 had people soloed in 6 hours, they would then move to a c-140 for the rest of their training because it had an electrical system. I truly believe that someone taught in a tail wheel aircraft learns to handle crosswinds much better than a nosewheel.

The M4-220 has metal wings, so no issue there. The tail feathers are cheap to replace if needed and the tailcone is originally covered in Razorback which is tough stuff and very many of the M4s are still safely covered in it.
The hard paints of the day were prone to cracks.
The M4 145, 210, or 220hp will make a good primary trainer with excellent forward visibility, four doors, four seats, double baggage door (51"), 40 or 63 gallon fuel.
The early 145hp did not have copilot brakes but many have been updated.
She could accomplish PPL, conventional (taildragger), complex (cs prop and flaps), high performance (over 200hp) all in the same airplane plus have good speed and stol performance for Dad.
Jeremy

NineThreeKilo wrote:

smorgan99 wrote:Thinking of buying one so my daughter can get her private, have a TU206 but not a good platform for training. Is starting with a tailwheel a good idea? Also, I would put 29" on it and take BC. Thoughts from the group?

I started in tailwheel and instruct all my guys in tailwheel, as long as you get a instructor that is tailwheel guy it's no biggie.

As for the Stinson vs Maule, I'm a Stinson guy, each aircraft has it's highs and lows, just test fly each and see what you like.

Also why is the 206 not a good training platform? I've flown 207s and found them to handle like a grown up 172, it's no fire-breathing dragon

Just want the most forgiving plane, the 206 is Turbo and that adds too much engine focus while trying to learn the basics of flying, my opinion, thanks for your thoughts