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Tag Archives: taildraggers
The Lost Promises
So, Reveille sounds at 0530 this morning as it always does for me. Only I know longer hear the bugler or the voice over the 1MC calling, “Reveille, Reveille, Reveille, all hands turn…” After years of hearing the calls, I … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Aviation History, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged A plane in every garage!, airplanes, all hands, and Piper, aviation news, Beech, Cessna, Cessnas, flight training, flying, increasing insurance premiums, learning to fly, little grass airstrips, LSA Dream, Mom and Pop flying schools, new LSA airplanes, pilots, product liability, Reveille, student pilots, taildraggers, the 1MC, the American Dream, The Lost Promises, training aircraft
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The Citabria
One of the finest airplanes produced is the Citabria, which, spelled backward, is “Airbatic.” That was one of the things this little two-place airplane specialized in—aerobatics—going upside down, turning loops, and flying Cuban Eights. Champion Aircraft originally designed the plane … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying
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Tagged 7ECA Citabria, 7GCAA Citabria, 7GCBC Citabria, 7KCAB, 8KCAB Decathlon, aerobatics, airplanes, basic acrobatic trainer, Champion Aircraft, Cuban Eights, flight training, flying, inverted fuel and oil systems, learning to fly, Lycoming O-235, Lycoming O-320, Lycoming O-360, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, the Champ, The Citabria, turning loops, upside down, “Airbatic”
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A Near Miss
My students look at me with great incredulity. “No way!” one says. “Six inches?” “Yep. At least we think it was six inches. It might have been closer.” “How could you measure a miss that close?” another asks. “Simple. We … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged A Near Miss, airplanes, Cessna 170, Cessnas, dark night, debriefing, Ercoupe, Florida, flying, flying the airplane by feel, gopher hole, inexperienced pilots, judgment, lucky, manual flaps, moving airplanes in the dark, nav lights, nosewheel, Paul Harvey, pilots, professional pilots, runway incursions, taildraggers, the airspeed indicator, the rest of the story
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3 Comments
Is the End Near? I Hope So!
Well, it is almost mid-February, which means spring is right around the corner. For me, it cannot get here fast enough. I am really tired of the cold. I am over feeling as if I am cooped up inside because … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, Cessnas, flight training, Florida, flying, friends, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, learning to fly, open cockpit biplanes, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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1 Comment
Solo! (Part 4)
This is the final installment of the story of soloing, originally published in Eagles Tales, a collection of essays by my colleagues in the Aeronautical Science Department of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Eagle Tales is available for sale at 20 percent … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, Cessnas, discipline, engine failures, first solo, Florida, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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3 Comments
Solo! (Part 3)
Excepts from Eagles Tales, a collection of essays by my colleagues in the Aeronautical Science Department of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University continues. Eagle Tales is available for sale at 20 percent off with the coupon code ET2011 on checkout through the … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, Cessnas, discipline, engine failures, first solo, Florida, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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2 Comments
Solo! (Part 2)
Excepts from Eagles Tales, a collection of essays by my colleagues in the Aeronautical Science Department of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University continues. Eagle Tales is available for sale at 20 percent off with the coupon code ET2011 on checkout through the … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, Cessnas, discipline, engine failures, first solo, Florida, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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3 Comments
Solo! (Part 1)
Over the course of today and the following three days, I am posting the story of what it is like to solo an airplane for the first time. This account, originally published as an essay in Eagles Tales, is from … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Life in General, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, Cessnas, discipline, engine failures, first solo, Florida, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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3 Comments
The Aeronca Chief
She is another one of those classic airplanes. As with most airplanes coming into production after the war, the Aeronca Chief was an airplane as perfect for personal use as she was for flight training. Not as popular as some … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flying
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Tagged adverse yaw, Aeronca 11AC, Aeronca 7AC Champ, Aeronca Chief, airplanes, Cessnas, classic airplanes, Continental A-65 engine, control sticks, cruise speed of 90 mph, flying, inexperienced pilots, judgment, learning to fly, Middleton OH, not a “nasty” taildragger, pilots, Raymond Hermes, side-by-side seating, student pilots, taildraggers, the Aeronautical Aircraft Company, The Aeronca Chief, training aircraft, World War II
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7 Comments
Why Fly?
Why fly? There are many motivating factors compelling many to fly. Everyone has personal reasons as to why they fly. Some have verbalized those reasons, some not. Some reasons for flying include a deep and resounding desire to soar like … Continue reading →
Posted in Aviation, Flight Instructing, Flying, Personal
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Tagged airplanes, Cessnas, flying, inexperienced pilots, instrument flying, judgment, learning to fly, pilots, professional pilots, student pilots, taildraggers, training aircraft
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6 Comments