I want to buy a T6! Well, I really want to fly a P51....

I know I may seem crazy but damn...I really want to fly in the air races (yeah I know...everyone does)! Anyone know of any other schools aside from the Warbird Training School in Kissimmee FLA?

Trying to figure out how to fly a P51 some day...

Plane is getting a new alternator today. Getting zero work done today dreaming about flying one of these.

AKT

PM Mr Scout... He knows that stuff.

Gump

Look into the Formula One and Sportplane classes first. Less money, more innovation, and they will be racing long after the T-6's and P-51's and Sea Fury's are hanging in museums.

These days the unlimited class is like a yacht club for a small group of good old boys. Think Mr. Howell from Gilligan's Island. It is not very technically competitive, and once you get past all the noise and historical romance... it's a bunch of old guys with old American muscle cars cruising around for show at the county fair. Great way to spend a million or three dollars.

The T-6's are IMHO the most dangerous, yet they don't have the sex appeal or the speed or any technical iinnovation at all. My hat's off to the guys who race them, and they are great aviators and competitors, but it is boring to the spectators and the TV cameras.

A Formula One going as fast as the T-6 and half as fast as the unlimiteds, with a 100HP normally aspirated engine instead of a 3000HP blown/ADI/nitrous'ed/geared engine, fixed gear, and from a standing start... on 1/100 of the money. Now that's racing

Just my two cents.

A friend of mine instructs in a T-6 here in the Phoenix area. If you are interested let me know and I will get you his info. He instructs in DC-3s, P51s, B-24s, B-25s, B-17s, and many more.

Kevin
There is a P-51 in Olympia....pm me if you want some contact info.
Don

Hafast wrote:A friend of mine instructs in a T-6 here in the Phoenix area. If you are interested let me know and I will get you his info. He instructs in DC-3s, P51s, B-24s, B-25s, B-17s, and many more.

Sounds like Larry Perkins.

Gump

Nope, not Larry, but he would be a canidate, is he still instructing, i haven't talked to him for a while.

Larry is flying for Ron Pratte, but as far as I know he's instructing war bird stuff. I'll be down to stay with him this Fall and do a DC-3 type.

Gump

Let me know when you're in town, I'd like to meet you and maybe even buy you an adult beverage. I think we both know a lot of the same people.

You got it. We'll be staying with Larry at Stellar.

Gump

aktahoe1 wrote:I want to buy a T6! Well, I really want to fly a P51....

I know I may seem crazy but damn...I really want to fly in the air races (yeah I know...everyone does)! Anyone know of any other schools aside from the Warbird Training School in Kissimmee FLA?

Trying to figure out how to fly a P51 some day...

AKT

If you want to race a T-6:

1) You need a lot of excess money
2) You need to know the airplane like the back of your hand
3) You need a lot of excess money
4) You must complete Pylon School and qualify as a race pilot
5) Did I mention you need a lot of excess money?

There are some very important differences in flying a racer from a "stocker"...namely the speeds and the stall characteristics. If you try to fly a racer like a stocker it can be a deadly mistake. The "changes" done to make a true racer increase the aileron effectiveness, increase the stall speed, increase the effects of the stall, and decrease / eliminate the stall warning. As I said, if your going to race you need to know the airplane like the back of your hand. A stocker is more forgiving, but not as fast and in racing, speed is money...in both cost and payout.

If you want to ultimately fly a P-51, I would recomend finding a good T-6 and putting your money into the fuel needed to accumulate hours and experience instead of chasing the checkered flag...plan on around 30 - 35 gph depending on how you are working it. Once you master the Texan, the fighters are a piece of cake. The CAF requires 200 hours of T-6 time before you can qualify for their fighters. I thought this was a lot of time at first, but there is a lot of stuff to learn in those 200 hours that will greatly enhance your safety as a fighter pilot. For many, the T-6 is their first introduction to true formation flying and formation flying is something that you will definately want to be doing if you own a warbird. This skill alone requires upwards of 30 hours logged as a qualified Wingman to obtain a Lead qualification.

There are many around the country who are qualified to instruct in the T-6...the first place to look would be the Ag operators...many of these fellows have owned or flown the T-6 at one time or another and operate equipment with similar flight characteristics. Contact the NATA (North American Trainer Association) and they can also point you in the right direction.

The Texan is a fun toy...good luck in your quest and give me a shout if you ever make it down this way.

Not quite....But Close

First you need a fast card in a T-6 before your getting into PRS

The Racer VS a stocker we are not allowed to change aileron gearing or size.

There is a huge difference though between one that goes 250 mph and one that goes 175 mph we make them light and very unstable in the cg area. So yes it will kill you if your a reg T-6 driver

But we also have 4 that are not the 250mph class and lease those out each year.

Best advise for getting a P-51 buy a T-6 when you can put a rookie up front that tries to kill you and save it from the back while not being able to see. Someone may let you fly there P-51

There are quite a few 51 owners that still get 25-50 hours dual in a T-6 every year. Very good judgment on there part.

Kevin, bounce down to Auburn and poke around there - some guys there with T-6s, racers and such. And one of the guys on the field here at Grass Valley with a T-6 is a check airman for FAST, should be plenty of resources in your local area to get you spun up if that's the route you want to go.

AKT you might have missed this, the deadline to enter is Nov 1.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7792

I was very lucky to start flying T6's at the age of 6!



Crashed all of the ones that were bought for me and finally decided to upgrade to P51's.



$219.00 & Ships free!

Others have given some good advice.

I have a T6 (former racer, BTW) that I do dual instruction in. You can PM me if you'd like more info. Depending on what area of the country you wish to do this in, there are people around that can teach you, in almost every area of the country.


The good news:
There are a lot of T6s around for sale right now, at prices lower than I've seen them in 15 years. You can get a really well kept one for the low 100s.
There's not a warbird around that has a better "smile per dollar" ratio than the T6
You can fly formation (see the part about the FAST card), do aerobatics, and go fly in airshows. Most airshows undervalue the T6, but you can get fuel, room, free beer....and it's usually fun for the first 10 years or so. (after 20 something years doing this, I don't do that many airshows, anymore...)
You'll meet some great people
You may get a chance to fly some other stuff...we, in the CAF, are always needing *qualified* pilots (read: at least 200 hrs in the T6, some extra cash (not a lot), time to give to flying, common sense, and a reasonable attitude)
If you have a modicum of tailwheel time, you can transition to a Six relatively easily


The bad news:
the suckers burn 25-35 gph of gas. Gas ain't cheap anymore (I used to pay 75 cents a gallon, and flew my six almost daily. Now I fly it weekly)
They can kill you quickly if not flown correctly. Even a stocker has some areas in which it will bite you. You must...repeat MUST train with someone who knows the dark corners, how to show them to you at altitude, and teach you how to avoid them at low level
warbirds are addictive
you meet the occasional real jerk



I recently spent some time with a guy who wanted to see accelerated stalls. CFI, flies a citabria routinely. He was amazed to see how quick a six can go over on it's back....


stan

Southern Boy wrote:
I recently spent some time with a guy who wanted to see accelerated stalls. CFI, flies a citabria routinely. He was amazed to see how quick a six can go over on it's back....

stan

No kidding, I was surprised by that as well. The first time you fall out of the top of a loop is a real eye opener also...it was demonstrated to me on one of my first T-6 flights and is a vivid reminder to watch my entry speed and pull correctly lest I be falling flat on my back and praying the nose falls through the horizon before I run out of room to recover. I believe there is an article scheduled for the September edition of Warbirds magazine (the monthly Warbirds of America rag) entitled "Taming the Texan". It may be of some interest to you and will (hopefully) fuel your desire to fly one even more.

@Stan- Hmmm, Stan in MS with a T-6 and Mustang experience...gotta be Dr. Musick with "Catch 22"...welcome to the BackCountry Stan.

@aktahoe- If Stan is offering to teach you the T-6 it would be money well spent to take him up on his offer.

Hey, lowflybye...easy on the insults, there....


Yes, I have catch 22.


Okay, who are you???



stan

Southern Boy wrote:

Okay, who are you???

stan

Thanks for the replies gang!

I dont have a lot of money as I spend it all on flying. Honestly its better to fly than have $$. I do however have know someone that knows someone who also knows someone that does have a lot of money. Maybe one day I can get a sponsor...First off though, I need to know how to fly one of these!! Would at very least like to get checked out in one prior to dropping in big for one. I know it would be hard to solo without owning your own but you just never know. I can at very least hope to get to that point and try to harness the bull.

Stan I just sent you a PM. I look forward to talking with you!
Lowflyby- I just sent you one as well.

Thanks!

Kevin
AKT