D. Patrick Caldwell on The Joys of Flight

You may have read my blog post a few weeks ago about my tailwheel landing fiasco. I got to do some more tailwheel landings this weekend and boy do I feel relieved.

We didn't get a chance to fly down to Peach State 'cause the weather was pretty bad, but we did fly and at long last, it finally clicked. I made wheel landing after wheel landing and I only had to go around once.

In the last few days, I've spent a lot of time thinking about about my last flight and trying to identify exactly what I did right. So, I have a few pointers for anyone else working on a tailwheel endorsement.

First, don't give up. Landing a tailwheel airplane can be pretty frustrating . . . especially a Super Decathlon . . . especially on a concrete runway . . . especially when it's windy. Eventually, you'll get it and it will be unbelievably satisfying.

Second, stay outside the cockpit. Your approach speed doesn't have to be exactly right. It's easier to bleed off extra airspeed than you think. Focus on the far end of the centerline and fly the plane into ground effect. When you minimize vertical speed, your airspeed will bleed off and you'll be surprised when the gear meets the runway.

Third, if your touchdown isn't as smooth as you may like, chances are your body will bounce a little even if the plane doesn't. I noticed that when I touched down just a little too hard, I didn't actually bounce even though I felt like I did, so instead of pushing the stick forward to pin her on the ground, I pulled back a little and added power. Therefore, even though I didn't bounce aerodynamically, I did bounce . . . err . . . patrickdynamically.

Have fun. Be safe. Happy Piloting.