...Or "Who Knew 65HP Could Be So Much Fun?"
While I enjoy my Rocket (and the RV-8) and they are wonderful flying machines, there is a certain charm in going back to a machine that really tests your stick and rudder skills. The Vans breed, like most modern aircraft are well harmonized and dare I say it, “easy” to fly. Yep, the Rocket’s speed keeps you on your toes because you can cover a bunch of airspace in the time it takes you to fumble around for the next ATC frequency, but the stick and rudder stuff is a piece of cake.
I purchased Dads old T-craft largely out of sentiment, but I also wanted to have a fun, inexpensive, evening flier. Something to simply do countless touch and goes in front of my house while consuming only a few drops of fuel. And finally, instruct my wife in the “old way”, as I think it should be done. Now, I have had some time in the airplane getting it home from Oregon (10.1 hours, to be exact), but the puttering around my house has been a real eye opener. The airplane, like many of the pre war variety, really is a handful. Not that it is difficult to fly, but it is difficult to fly well. The extreme adverse yaw, the disharmony in pitch and roll, the lack of directional and roll stability… It is giving me fits.
And I could not be more pleased!
When my Hiperbipe flew away to a new owner two years ago, I felt my stick and rudder skills begin to atrophy right away. This wonderful little machine is going to restore much of that. And yes, the T-craft is giving my wife fits too, but she will overcome that and be a better pilot because of it. Certainly, she will need to move to an airplane with a radio, mixture control, and other equipment typical of today’s aircraft, but I think having her focus first on the raw art of flying is going to stick with her forever.
Anyway, enough of the pseudo technical content. I had a fantastic, perfect evening to fly the other night. Exactly why I moved to an airpark. I took some pictures and wanted to reinforce that despite all the doom and gloom surrounding GA flying, it’s pretty good in my neighborhood. I wish all of you could have as much fun as I’m having these days. Really I do!
While I enjoy my Rocket (and the RV-8) and they are wonderful flying machines, there is a certain charm in going back to a machine that really tests your stick and rudder skills. The Vans breed, like most modern aircraft are well harmonized and dare I say it, “easy” to fly. Yep, the Rocket’s speed keeps you on your toes because you can cover a bunch of airspace in the time it takes you to fumble around for the next ATC frequency, but the stick and rudder stuff is a piece of cake.
I purchased Dads old T-craft largely out of sentiment, but I also wanted to have a fun, inexpensive, evening flier. Something to simply do countless touch and goes in front of my house while consuming only a few drops of fuel. And finally, instruct my wife in the “old way”, as I think it should be done. Now, I have had some time in the airplane getting it home from Oregon (10.1 hours, to be exact), but the puttering around my house has been a real eye opener. The airplane, like many of the pre war variety, really is a handful. Not that it is difficult to fly, but it is difficult to fly well. The extreme adverse yaw, the disharmony in pitch and roll, the lack of directional and roll stability… It is giving me fits.
And I could not be more pleased!
When my Hiperbipe flew away to a new owner two years ago, I felt my stick and rudder skills begin to atrophy right away. This wonderful little machine is going to restore much of that. And yes, the T-craft is giving my wife fits too, but she will overcome that and be a better pilot because of it. Certainly, she will need to move to an airplane with a radio, mixture control, and other equipment typical of today’s aircraft, but I think having her focus first on the raw art of flying is going to stick with her forever.
Anyway, enough of the pseudo technical content. I had a fantastic, perfect evening to fly the other night. Exactly why I moved to an airpark. I took some pictures and wanted to reinforce that despite all the doom and gloom surrounding GA flying, it’s pretty good in my neighborhood. I wish all of you could have as much fun as I’m having these days. Really I do!
