Kevin, pavement is the best place to hone your tailwheel technique because it is the most unforgiving surface and most intolerant of sloppiness. Those tires stick so well that when you get out of shape, it's really exacerbated. When you go back to grass or dirt it's like "wow that was easy."

This thread started around the time I got my 170 if I remember correctly and it was pretty valuable reading. Finding a good, solid, drill sergeant tailwheel instructor is important. A few guys I flew with sat through some of the most ridiculous tailwheel performances you can imagine and never gave me much worthwhile instruction.

And finally, let me show you how it's done...haha ok maybe not. Dead windsock. Perfect conditions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=racpWgsMs8Q

That second landing should have been held off longer and 3-pointed or else push up into a wheelie. The tail slapping is to be avoided at all costs.

I always hear guys say "I ONLY wheel land, or I ONLY 3-point, this plane shouldn't be flown this way or that..." As Mike or any tw pilot will tell you, a competent pilot should be able to do either style landing on the spot from any configuration. What's better in a crosswind though is a timeless aviator's debate that will never be resolved.

I

Talking about quality instruction, I have to put in another pitch for Dave Younkin in Fort Collins, CO. His hours in skywagons are in the many many thousands, he's been there done that, and is a talented and patient instructor. Plus outside doing some contract flying for the state he's available and will talk technique all day but only charges for hobbes time.

I've been working on my commercial ticket with Dave and the things he can do in my plane with two fingers on the yolk are unreal.

If you're interested its worth flying to Fort Collins and hanging with him a few days. I have his number as he does not own a computer.

We'd all be lucky to be flying like him when we are 76.

-Brad

Just read this whole string, lots of great advice and knowledge!
Another $.02
Thought I might through a bit to the masses that I received after I got my 195.
Orin Hudson and I were shooting the breeze and he was telling me a 195 is the only plane he ever wrecked, engine out and had to land off airport, actually just east of Lake Clark Pass. Made sure he tore the right wing off so they could get out!?!?
Anyway he was trying to impart some knowledge to this bonehead, ME!
Landing tail low on the pavement and also with the big tires.
Land with your left tire 1 inch lower than the right and the bubble about 1/2-1/4 out that way as you settle on the weight the first tire starts to turn slowly turning you a bit left to center the ball and as your right tire settles onto the tarmac you are pointed straight down the runway and you relax the elevator an let the tail wheel come up a few inches and hold it there until it settles.
Thats that chirp,chirp sound that always goes along with the one you greased on!!
I have done that in the past but never tried to set it up that way, surprising how easy it is to do!!
Try it you might like it!
Have fun, keep smilin
GT

M6RV6 wrote:Land with your left tire 1 inch lower than the right and the bubble about 1/2-1/4 out that way as you settle on the weight the first tire starts to turn slowly turning you a bit left to center the ball and as your right tire settles onto the tarmac you are pointed straight down the runway and you relax the elevator an let the tail wheel come up a few inches and hold it there until it settles.
Thats that chirp,chirp sound that always goes along with the one you greased on!!
I have done that in the past but never tried to set it up that way, surprising how easy it is to do!!
Try it you might like it!
Have fun, keep smilin
GT

I find myself "feeling" for the ground with my left tire quite often, then when it starts to roll bring the tail up and smile..... Works good and fun too.....

This technique seems perfect for a tailwheel.
In a nose wheel plane Im afraid it can hit nose wheel first.
Is there a technique like this for nosewheel aircraft?

What's MAF technique in their 206's

206 will land itself.........

Love old threads

I liked this landing from Emmet's 2011 Johnson Creek Waltz video (begins at 4:40). Seems like a good example of what's been discussed in this thread, and it does look good. My landing in this video wasn't quite as pretty. Mountainmatt's at 7:00 looks good too.

http://vimeo.com/25804844

If nothing else it's a good excuse to reminisce and look forward to JC 2012!

Great video and landings! I would love to attend a fly-in like at JC someday....or any fly-in for that matter, since I've never been to one.

What a great time for the videographer....enjoying a beautiful day, talking shop with other pilots and critiquing other's landings.

Its interesting to see the different styles of landings.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.923622,-82.428785

motoadve wrote:This technique seems perfect for a tailwheel.
In a nose wheel plane Im afraid it can hit nose wheel first.
Is there a technique like this for nosewheel aircraft?

What's MAF technique in their 206's

I don't know what MAF uses in their tricycle gear airplanes.

Essentially, though, the exact same approach procedure works fine in the 206, except at the touchdown, you start the yoke coming aft (nose up) to keep the nosewheel off as long as possible.

Get in a good Robertson equipped 206, slow it down at the touch, and you can amaze the spectators at how short those airplanes will work. And, with a much bigger load than a 185.

MTV

Today went and practiced, and I got my best and shortest landings ever.
I was able to come with power, control and just power off and flare and stopped in about 500ft (to me is short)
I was not Not dragging it or coming low. And even had a 10kts crosswind.

I know is not the exact MAF technique but to me worked very nicely, Im surprised is not teached by instructors or more popular with BCP.

NoCOpilot wrote:Love old threads

I liked this landing from Emmet's 2011 Johnson Creek Waltz video (begins at 4:40). Seems like a good example of what's been discussed in this thread, and it does look good. My landing in this video wasn't quite as pretty. Mountainmatt's at 7:00 looks good too.

http://vimeo.com/25804844

If nothing else it's a good excuse to reminisce and look forward to JC 2012!

Damn, that was a good landing haha

Jr.CubBuilder wrote:Oh well, any landing you can walk away from is a good one. Right?

Except for unmanned aircraft, when they crash you still walk away without a scratch.