What We Offer
Stick and Rudder Techniques
For almost ten years I have been giving a program on
"Stick and Rudder"skills, presenting both
locally and at the EAA's convention at
coordination and planning, smooth flying and consistent procedures that make the outcomes of maneuvers safe, predictable and comfortable for pilot and passengers. I am pleased that every time I give the program, audience members will later seek me out with comments about how the presentation improved their flying, and put back in the personal reward factor and pride.
The presentation discusses how to sharpen "Stick and Rudder" skills. I'm now taking my stick and rudder focus the next step: practical application of those skills in a tailwheel airplane. I am offering instruction focused on basic flying skills, with tailwheel skills and a tailwheel endorsement included in the program. Because of a firm foundation in safe flight and control of the aircraft, we can progress right up to spin awareness and practice.
The program can be modestly tailored to achieve a pilot's specific goals (e.g., tailwheel endorsement, flight review) so long as the goals fall within the scope of expertise I call aircraft handling. What the program
entails and how much it costs has a lot to do with what a person expects of it and also as importantly, the skills that the pilot currently has. The process can be intense and compressed or not - you can start and work through as quickly as time, the learning curve and other resources allow.
The classroom is a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser, newly restored
and with a freshly overhauled engine.
The plane is hangered at
instruction will be at $45 per flight hour, for a total cost of airplane and instructor at $130/hour. For students seeking a tailwheel endorsement, or who are coming back to flying after a protracted break, a package discount is available - ten aircraft hours for $750, and my rate decreases to $35 per flight hour, for a total cost of airplane and instructor at $110/hour. The ground time is not charged but is considered included in the charge for actual flight time, unless very unusual circumstances are encountered.
I am a vigorous advocate of recurring training, and will support it with a discount. The flight review consists of two hours, an hour in the plane and an hour on the ground, at a rate of $85 for the airplane and $65 instructor's fee, for a total of $150.
My most enjoyable instructing comes from the Wings program. After you have attended a FAA Safety Seminar, make sure to receive the attendance certificate signed by the presenter. That certificate, plus three hours of flight instruction, is the preferred way to meet the requirements of a flight review. The three hours are taught as one hour of takeoffs and landings, one hour of maneuvers and one hour of hood work. The hood work in the Super Cruiser is all needle, ball and airspeed - there are no other gyro instruments installed. Under the hood we practice all the basic maneuvers and track ground courses using the compass and the panel mounted GPS. The cost for a Wings package is $75 per hour for the airplane and $33
per hour instructor's fee, for a three hour package price of $325.
I am confident that every pilot can learn something new from something old ? stick and rudder flying, in a tailwheel aircraft, can be the best thing that ever happened to a pilot used to flying in a high powered, complex aircraft. If you have an interest and would like to learn more, please email N7608H@aol.com. Welcome to the world of Stick and Rudder flying!
Joe Gauthier