Great, now lets argue about wheel vs. 3 point landing..........it does not matter what you fly. Maintain it properly, respect it's limitations, learn to fly it well and have fun. If your budget allows an ultralight, or a Bassler turbine DC3, and you are a safe pilot having fun, you have the best aircraft available. Get out there!!

dawgdriver wrote:Taildraggers, Nose draggers and skids. Fly them all, love them all. Currently, my Husky has moved to the top. As they tell the boss in the the Blue Angels after ever flight "Just happy to be here"

I think you summed it all up, Dawgdriver!! Sound s good to me!

I think that there is too often a battle rationalizing between what a person wants and what a person needs. As a hobbyist, I don't need to fly, I exist quite fine sitting at this desk writing code and cropping photos. I want to fly and spend my hard earned disposable income on this expensive endeavor, so I reduced my rationalizing of aviation stuff to a minimum.

I like taildraggers, they make little sense for 99% of missions, but I make no case for them other than aesthetics, a greater challenge, and fun. However, once airborne, I can't see the front of the aircraft, or the tail, so really I have to be content feeling cool that my main gear are forward a few inches. I had to buy a 56 year old aircraft to get that feature. It makes no sense, there is no rationalizing it. I just like it. That is enough. Same goes for the tricycle crowd.

The only thing you can infer about the pilot of a taildragger is that he/she likes dancing. That's about it. Now, some guys seem to be very proud of the fact that they like dancing, or how hard they like to dance. If I walked up to you and busted out my dance moves to try to impress, would you be taken aback? You'd probably sprain your face.

Most airplanes are fun, but just try to get home with a missing nose wheel

at least my nose-wheel has never been knocked off, or fallen off...! >at least not on my current bird<...

jomac wrote:at least my nose-wheel has never been knocked off, or fallen off...! >at least not on my current bird<...

I hope you were knocking on wood when you typed that

Perfectly Stated Zane!

I fly a taildragger because i want to, not because it makes sense or is better. Keeps me humble too. Last Sunday had some good gusty (12-18) 40-50 degree crosswinds, so i thought it would be a good time to go practice. first two went well, third one i went to sleep i guess, impressed with my "skill" and came as close as i ever want to groundlooping

But that's what i love about it, keeps you honest, and humble and its a lot of fun

Chris

At the Valier, Mt. flyin my tail wheel found a badger hole. Broke the tail wheel off. If I had a nose wheel it probably would have bent something real expensive, fire wall? prop? As it was it took Rick G. and us boys maybe an hour to have it going. If you taxi over areas you can not see I say get out and walk it first. Especially if you fly a nose dragger.

I am a died in the wool tail wheel guy.....Until I can afford a Kodiak or Caravan. Then bye bye TW

Really I love my M7 and it looks looks it will be my ride for many years to come, God willing that is.

Cheers

Rob that is a big hole. What do you suppose would have happened if you'd have dropped a main down in it? Just curious.

gb

Rob..what were you doing out in the weeds anyway? It looks like a nice piece of asphalt out there in front of you
HC

If it has wings and flies.........I don't care where the wheels or skis are at as long as they are there somewhere

gbflyer wrote:Rob that is a big hole. What do you suppose would have happened if you'd have dropped a main down in it? Just curious.

gb

I had 8:50 by 6 on then it would have been real close to a prop strike. With my 29s I would be ok.

hicountry wrote:Rob..what were you doing out in the weeds anyway? It looks like a nice piece of asphalt out there in front of you
HC

The runway we needed was closed for paving. There was a grass strip mowed that we were using. Four of us were landing one after another. We could not back taxi because others were landing. We were cutting across the unmowed grass back to the taxi way.

1SeventyZ wrote:I think that there is too often a battle rationalizing between what a person wants and what a person needs;

I like taildraggers, they make little sense for 99% of missions, but I make no case for them other than aesthetics, a greater challenge, and fun. However, once airborne, I can't see the front of the aircraft, or the tail, so really I have to be content feeling cool that my main gear are forward a few inches. I had to buy a 56 year old aircraft to get that feature. It makes no sense, there is no rationalizing it. I just like it. That is enough. Same goes for the tricycle crowd

Our Resident philosopher does sum it up. Don't we all walk into the hangar and admire what is parked there?

Tom