Landing with Back Seats full?

[Brenton C]

Thanks Rocketman.

To answer your question, the tail didnt touch til after the pirouhette started.

[chris erasmus]

In further response to Rocketman, 2 of the guys flying Maules in SA has disconnected the tailwheel steering and use only differential braking, I have never tried it but these guys swear by it.

[Mountain Doctor]

Evening fellas,

Thank you for these further replies. I appreciate them both, and Wup, no offence taken at all. I'm my own worst critic, though that criticism sometimes doesn't line up completely or accurately with the areas of fault.

I was asking for honest in put, and I'm glad to get it.

In between the July incident and getting back into my own plane just this month, I was feeling really great after doing 6 or so hours of training with Rick Geiger, but I can see that I probably was not prepared for yesterday just from the one final flight with 4 or 5 landings in which my fiancé came along as ballast.

I can see that I would have done well to practice a lot more in my own plane than I did before filling the back seats, and trying to tackle a gross weight approaching 2400 lbs.

By the way, I was pretty impressed I was able to climb to 9000 feet (DA 8340 +/-) with all that weight.

Yesterday, I told my fiancé I just can't be trusted to fly. I "just don't get it." She wasn't hearing any of it.

I appreciate the advice here. It makes sense to me why I "didn't get" what went wrong. Didn't see it developing. Didn't feel it. I was down so sweetly, and rolling out, and THEN . . . !

Practice, and working my way up to the target configuration in increments. That's what I'll do.

About insurance. I don't know the if there's a rule about it, but I kinda wish I hadn't already contacted them. If it's legal to do so, I'm sure the wing tips just need a bit of glue, and there'll be hardly a trace. Then the elevator just needs to be re-bent into shape. Or replaced. As you say, probably for less than the cost of increased rates over the next few years.

If I hadn't called them, and there is a rule, I'd have no problem saying "no damage -- I probably over reacted calling transport canada just cause of a little spin out."

No, I don't think giving up on a life's dream is justified just yet.

I think that all of we intelligent, introspective pilots have questioned our ability and whether to continue or not at least once, if not several times.

I've not had any incidents (Trigear) but I have had at least twice in my 20 or so years of flying where I have wondered if my money and time would not have been better spent elsewhere.

With that said the self-doubt in this case is a sign of wisdom, and a continued desire to be as perfect a pilot as you can be. I propose that that is a healthy attitude, and an excellent reason to press on.

Especially where you live, an airplane allows you to enjoy the insane beauty of Creation as no other earth plotting organism can, and cover greater distances.

I was at a Fly In yesterday, and my yellow Maule attracted a lot of attention. For one reason, it’s a Maule, the coolest of the cool, as we all know. The other reason is that it is a Trigear.

I like my Trigear.

[Brenton C]

Thanks Doc,

I agree with all you say. Until that landing, it was a magnificent flight. I flew West from CEN4 (High River, south of Calgary), to the mountains, then turned South at Mt. Burke, for a glorious 20 or so minutes with mountains rising up on both sides of the plane. There surely can be no better way to enjoy the bird's eye view than this!

I let my fiance's son have a go for 10 minutes or so -- he's just begun his PPL training in the ubiquitous land-o-matic 172. He was beyond thrilled, and affirms he'll go flying again with me, despite the mishap at the end.

I think we'll both learn from this and be better pilots for it.

[PatinLoco]

Brenton, I'm not going to continue to say what everyone else have said. You have gotten very good advice. I'll just give you a little of my experience. In my 40 years of flying just about every kind of aircraft type, I have learned that not every flight will be a perfect flight. I have had many incidents, but fortunately, no accidents ... yet! So, after 3 ground loops, losing a canopy while upside down in an experimental jet, a main gear collapse on landing in a C47, in flight electrical fire, etc. (and there is an etc), the reason I am still flying is because I had good friends that told me what these guys have told you. I got back on the horse, with the conviction of taming it.

If we consider that back when all the airplanes were taildraggers, all pilots flew them. During the two big wars, some of these kids soloed at about 5 hours of instruction, and a few hours later were flying P-51s and Corsairs in battle. Does that mean that these kids were better than us? No, it means that they had no choice. Either they flew a taildragger or they didn't fly. And, they wanted to fly!!

I felt the same way after I ground looped the first time in a Grumman AgCat. I had flown this aircraft for a few years towing banners. I felt that I had it under control! I knew it well, we were buddies! Until one day, a windless day, I was so confident (repeat: CONFIDENT) that the AgCat started to swearve and I wasn't ready. Aditionally, the breaks were bad (my fault), and when I applied power, the engine misfired (my fault) long enough to allow the aircraft to go into the ground loop enough that I couldn't save it. Around I went pivoting over the wingtip, the engine quit, and I rolled back into the grass (I was landing on asphalt). It happened so quickly, and when all was over, I was in a daze. The tower was asking if I was alright, and then the fire truck came with these aliens dressed in shiny silver suits!

Well, that was my first one. I've had two more when I started flying my Stearman after only 5 hours of dual with an experienced instructor, and Stearman owner. I though I had it under control and that my many hours of tailwheel time and specially AgCat flying and ground loop, were experience enough and that I didn't need any further training, I decided that I was ready, and flew it solo after the initial 5 hours of training. I ground looped the Stearman on my first landing!!! Now, that was an ego destroyer. I cracked the rear left spar! I had the spar replaced, and after the second flight, I ground looped it again! I was young, felt bullet proof, and my ego flew higher than the aircraft! So, I got back on the saddle, but this time with the same instructor. The first thing I told him was: "This time, YOU tell me when I'm ready"

Well, I haven't had a ground loop since, but I now understand, that if I am too confident, and let complacency rule, it WILL happen again! In my case, I needed that to destroy my ego. Now I fly prepared for the worst. I enjoy flying even more, because I am ready, not scared, ready! And, if the landing doesn't feel good, I go around!

I wish you a lot of happy flights, after you accept the incident as part of your training and education. It took me a while. I hope it doesn't take you as long!

[chris erasmus]

Very well said Eduardo

[Brenton C]

i Gracias Eduardo!

Thanks for sharing your own humbling experiences. You, too, know the feeling of just getting your plane back and immediately screwing up.

You sure have come through some dramatic challenges in your flying activities. I'd love to hear more detsiled accounts of some of these adventures if, some day, We might have a chance to meet up at a Maule gathering.

[PatinLoco]

Thanks, Chris!

¡De nada, Brenton! I would love to meet you someday also! I plan to hit some Maule gatherings this year. It would be an interesting flight from El Salvador. Although I live in ES, we have a small apt in Austin, TX, so the Llano gathering would be my logical first. I've been wanting to come to BC t do some black bear hunting for some years. Now I have an excuse!!

See you, excuse!!

[Brenton C]

Eduardo, that would,be great! You know, our friend Chris E. Is planning a trip to BC from South Africa, and his destination is a mere 3 hour easy flight from here--I've already mapped it out in ForeFlight.

Llano will have to be a plan for me, too, as my sister is in Austin.

I've been very eager to meet other forum members, and I'd like to commit to beginning this mission this year. What a great New Year's resolution!

[Mountain Doctor]

I would not mind a trip to Calgary, not too far for me. I'd also like to see Banff and Jasper National Parks from the air.

I was there last year on my Gold Wing and thought it was some of the most beautiful scenery I'd ever seen.

Some rough weather though.

[Brenton C]

Maybe a Jasper Fly-in could be considered at some point? Apparently there's an airstrip there. The "drive" up from Calgary is supposed to be spectacular...how much better would it be to fly it!?

I have in mind a trip to Portland this summer to visit a couple of friends. That's just a hop, skip, and a short flight from your location, isnt it, Doc?

[Mountain Doctor]

I'm about 1 1/2 hours from Portland. Easy enough if it's VFR.

[TomD]

Heck, if you are coming south of the border why not swing over to Idaho for some back country flying? It is almost on the way.

TD

[Brenton C]

Tom, That sounds good!

[PatinLoco]

Eduardo, that would,be great! You know, our friend Chris E. Is planning a trip to BC from South Africa, and his destination is a mere 3 hour easy flight from here--I've already mapped it out in ForeFlight.

Llano will have to be a plan for me, too, as my sister is in Austin.

I've been very eager to meet other forum members, and I'd like to commit to beginning this mission this year. What a great New Year's resolution!

Yeah, I've been talking to Chris about it. He's planning on coming over in Sept. That would be perfect for me as long as it's at the beginning of the month. I have to talk it over with my son, because he's coming with me.

Well, Llano it is! I'm definitively going to be there!!