Jetwhine

DECEMBER 25, 2023

The Champ was one of the few taildragger airplanes that could be flown solo from the front seat, which greatly improved the visibility for the pilot in command. And then Paul asked me to make a no-rudder turn to the left. Paul encouraged me to experiment, so I played with the rudder and concentrated on the seat of my pants.

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Tail Pilot in Command 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Adverse yaw is a side effect of aileron use, countered by rudder input. Unlike the elevators and rudder mounted close to the fuselage, the ailerons location at the end of the long, thin, and flexible wings makes them much more prone to flutter. Most of the ailerons mass lies behind the hinge, making it tail-heavy.

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Air Facts

JANUARY 29, 2025

The XO was now pilot in command and I was doing co-pilot duties on the flight to Dallas. As the aircraft began to slow and the tail wheel contacted the runway and the aircraft began to drift slightly to the right. The planned flightSan Diego, El Paso, Dallas, Pensacola was uneventful and I signed off on the XOs re-qual.

Runway 52

Runway Airplanes Pilot Pilot in Command 52

Photographic Logbook

JANUARY 25, 2025

Today would be his first landing on the ice as pilot in command. Since 2019, pilots in command have been presented with poker chips -- what the Alton Bay crew fittingly call "ice chips" -- commemorating landing at Alton Bay. More vintage cred: a V-tailed Beechcraft Bonanza! Oh, because of the purple.

Runway 68

Runway Airplanes Threshold Approach 68