Losing the training wheel.

[fastj22]

It is not terribly important to always do nice landings. It is vitally important to always do good recoveries. I was getting a BC12D checkout one time from a crazy Englishman in Florida. I was doing nice landings. On the last landing he was chattering, waving his arms around, and pulled out/unfolded a sectional on short final. I blew that landing and had to recover. He folded the sectional back up and said I was good to go.

Actually, after a horribly bounced landing today and I was chasing the bounce with the stick, I finally settled down and got the bird back in the air. My instructor put his hand on my shoulder and said, OK, lets do that again and let me show you how to recover it properly. We did on the next landing and he taught me how to turn a bad wheel landing into a stylish 3 point.

One thing about the Decathalon is it has no flaps and the symmetrical wing. I've found I have to bring it in with a lot more speed than my Sonex and finding that flare point is tough. If I bring it in under 80mph it sinks quick and my flare is exaggerated to arrest the sink. Over 80mph and its a lot easier. I've been landing my Sonex around 60mph so this is taking me some getting used to.

Good times though. I love the challenge. Looks like he's going to sign me off soon and he's a aerobatic instructor too. We'll start spin and basic aerobatics this weekend.

[Bryan Cotton]

24 years and 1000 hours and I still turn bad wheel landings into 3 pointers. It is a critical skill. I only had one acro lesson in the decathlon. It is a good airplane. My instructor also had a Pitts and I spent most of my time there. Much easier to do acro in a Pitts. It is almost like it was made exclusively for that task.

[Bryan Cotton]

A clarification - most of my Acro time was in the Pitts, about 10 hours. I don't have nearly 1000 hours in the Pitts! When I reread what I wrote it looked wrong. I do still want one when I grow up though.

[fastj22]

I want to get some solid professional spin training before I take my Waiex out and really test her. My instructor also had a Pitts and competed in it. He does air shows in an Extra 300.

As for the Waiex, the engine is hung on the new mount. She's sitting on the new gear. Brakes have been plumbed. The engine biometrics have been reconnected to the brain. I'm doing some surgery on the panel to tilt it a bit more vertical. And of course all the other annual inspection stuff. Hope to be flying her within the month.

[Sonex1517]

Spam has been sliced and tossed....


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[fastj22]

Finished up my endorsement today. Yeah baby! I can now take the Millennium Waiex out when she's ready.
We were already wearing our chutes and the instructor said after the second landing, I'm going to sign you off, I asked if we could head out to the practice area to do some spins. WOW! Started with base to final approach spins, then power on departure spins. (all more than 3000ft AGL) Then he threw me a loop (literally), an inverted spin from the top of a loop. That one pushed me past my comfort zone. I was able to recover, but pulled 4 Gs coming out of it and lost at least 2000 ft. But even though I was nauseous, I did stick the final wheel landing. Just gotta finish up the conversion and annual now.

[MichaelFarley56]

Great news on the completion of the endorsement! That's awesome! I can't wait to hear the final report on your tailwheel swap and what you think of the plane in the new configration! I hope you're able to finish the modification soon and get that beautiful airplane back in the air!

Best of luck finishing the detail work and getting ready for flight! Keep us up to date on how it goes!


By the way, what's the story on the other Sonex? Looks familiar but i can't place it. Is that your hangar mate?

[fastj22]

Zack bought that plane last summer from a builder in Houston. N729JC. He then moved to Colorado last fall and became my hangar mate. Its a Jab 3300 Sonex.

[MichaelFarley56]

I'm sure you've said it at some point in the past, but which airport are you based at? I get into BJC a few times per year for work and was just curious.

[fastj22]

Our planes are based at KFLY. Gary motley is based a KBJC.