Tail dragger flying is more demanding than flying a tricycle gear airplane because the geometry of a Tail dragger airplane’s landing gear is less stable than that of a nosewheel airplane.

Sound scary? Sound too tough for a beginner? It isn’t when you consider that hundreds of thousands of people learned to fly in Piper Cubs and Champs just like these. Learning to fly Tail dragger is a lot like learning to drive a manual transmission: If you learn the manual first, it’s simple to go to the automatic transmission later. Learn Tail dragger first, and nose wheel airplanes are a piece of cake. It’s no harder to learn from the beginning, and in the end you will be a better pilot.

A Tail dragger conversion is an excellent way to do a biennial flight review or just brush up on your flying skills. Flight training time is not affected by the use of a Tail dragger airplane. Conversions from nose wheel to Tail dragger requires between five to ten hours.

Most schools don’t teach Tail dragger because the number of qualified Tail dragger instructors has declined (even through the number of sport aviation and spray aircrafts taildraggers booms!). Taildraggers have also gathered an undeserved reputation over the years as difficult to fly, so many schools shy away from them. At Full Sutton Flying Centre, taildraggers are one of our specialties.

The cost of a taildragger conversion depends on how many hours you require to be proficient. Average is 5-10 hours.

The Course

At Full Sutton Flying Centre we do not offer a fixed conversion course of 5 hours as other organisations do.

You will obviously start out with a thorough briefing on the aircraft and its controls. Then follows a run through all of the problems associated with the taildragger and the techniques to overcome those problems.

After some taxying practice, you will be monitored through your first take-off and your suprise at the take-off performance is guaranteed! After upper air work, to get the feel of the machine, you will be led into the landing.

After your are competent at the take-off and landing we can think about visiting one or two small strips.

our policy is to let you go solo as soon as you are ready and this may take more or less time, depending on your experience and ability.

Prices

Cessna 140: £900

Prices are for 5 hours flight training and include VAT, approach & landing fees at homebase. If you are already partway through a course and need to complete it, please call us for a quotation.