Customer Reviews

The Compleat Taildragger Pilot

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I learned to fly in a Piper Cub, and my instructor suggested this book. It's a homespun gem, with lots of simple line drawings and advice to keep you and your plane from "heading for the bushes." Yes! It's tough to tame the taildragger. (On my first takeoff, from a private field, I went off into the high grass beside the mowed runway and came home with hay festooned from the flying wires. Not too subtle!) With special attention to the quirks of various taildraggers and the most complete discussion of "P-factor" you're ever likely to find. Highly recommended for the student pilot who finds himself in a taildragger, or to any licensed pilot who wants to complete his education by transitioning to a "conventional" landing-gear craft.

Although the book is not long in length, it covers the basics as well as a chapter on "crosswind gear" and some words on specific model idiocyncrasies.

The book is written for a pilot who has a private pilot license in a nosewheel airplane. It has a typical syllabus for learning and covers basic three point landings, wheel landings and crosswind techniques. It also has a chapter on tailwheel center of gravity, moments and dynamics (for the nontechnical).

I am in the process of transitioning to a tailwheel and I found it helpful. My instructor thinks it is the best book out there.

This book is a classic in it's field. The subject of handling and flying taildragger aircraft is very much neglected mainly because these aircraft are very much in the minority these days in favour of conventional tricycle gear aircraft. I certainly believe that reading the book is equivalent to several hours of practical instruction (although by no means a substitute for it) and even conventional nose-wheel pilots will benefit by understanding the principles of handling these aircraft and applying them to nosewheel types. The book is very readable and contains a wealth of very useful information. Harvey Plourde, in addition to being a very experienced pilot has created a text that conveys that experience and knowledge easily to the reader on this very interesting and much neglected subject.

Excellent! Would recommend to anyone that wants to learn how to fly a taildragger. I showed the book to my friend who has 16,000 total hours and over 8,000 taildragger hours. He was impressed with the ease that the concepts were presented. It made sence and it is not your basic taildragger book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about getting checked out in a tailwheel. No book is gonna replace the practical of flying, but this will satisfy anyone interested in taildraggers or the purchase of one and to even help make an educated descision on buying one of tailwheel kits out there.

The chapter in the Appendix on p-factor alone was worth the price of the book. Everyone accepts this effect from studying and flying for private training, but this finally explains the 'why' and can be applied simply to any model of single engine airplane at that !

Great job Mr. Plourde !

This book was recommended to me by a flight instructor who specializes in conventional (taildragger) instruction. I read it in a few nights and understand why the instructor felt it to be foundational.

Plourde (now deceased) knew what he was talking about and makes the basics very accessible and more than slightly entertaining. His proofreader should have been fired, but if you're reading this for grammar and punctuation, you're missing the point.

Through the use of diagrams, stick models, great stories and confessions, Plourde makes honest comparisons between taildraggers and the now-more-common nose-gear-equipped aircraft, and cites the advantages (and disadvantages) of each. He even goes into the some of the quirks of some of the taildraggers with which he had experience, to make it clear not every taildragger handles like every other.

Every pilot and instructor will gain something from the book, particularly about the proper way to deal with crosswinds - even in tricycle gear aircraft. And all will gain respect for skilled taildragger pilots.

Recently I decided to add a tail-wheel endorsement to my Private Pilot license and my "taildragger" instructor recommended this book. The author clearly explains the differences in tricycle versus tail-wheel aircraft behavior during taxi, take-off and landing. Detailed recommendations for each phase of flight are provided in an easily accessible, pleasant to read manner. This book is very useful to augment the hands-on flying experience and will probably shorten the training time and enhance my understanding of the new techniques. Overall, this book is well written and worth more than the modest price!

Great book that really prepared me for my recent tailwheel training in a Super Cub. Well written and easily understood. Highly suggested reading prior to your tailwheel training event or a great refresher for those old taildraggers.

A must have for all students or pilots with or without a taildragger endorsement. Very valuable information. I highly recommend this book.

I was an ATP pilot when I tried my first landing in a taildragger and all went perfect until after the landing...I relaxed and the J-3 headed for the edge of the runway. It ain't over 'til she's in her chocks when the little wheel's in back.

Though learning to fly taildraggers is more of a doing thing than a reading thing...this book will explain why that dang taildragger does what it does... better than any other.

I now am at least a novice with 200 incident free hours in tailwheels...and this book has definitely helped. I'll still pick it up from time to time for a review. Definitely a keeper and the one book I recommend to prospective taildragger pilots...