From: geoff@peck.com (Geoff Peck)
Subject: Re: Glider to Power transition?
Keywords: Glider to Power, Tailwheel to Nosewheel or vice versa
Organization: Geoffrey G. Peck, Consultant, San Jose CA
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 08:21:52 GMT

In article <1993Jan5.182554.316@eplrx7.es.duPont.com>
milbouma@eplrx7.es.duPont.com (Mark Milbourne SCD) writes:
> * I would like to do a lot or all of the training at once.  What is the
> net.wisdom concerning these schools where you go for a week or two and do
> it all at once?

In general, I think the "quick but intense" method probably isn't as good
as a somewhat slower approach, in which you fly 2-3 (or maybe even 4) times
per week over a period of 2 to 4 months.  With a longer period, you'll be
exposed to a greater variety of weather and other conditions, and won't be
on such a short "leash" in terms of the variety which you can experience
during your training.  Also, you have the luxury of occasionally forgetting
-- and you get to experience how to pick things back up after such lapses
which are, after all, only human.

> I would assume that most of these places don't normally give 
> primary instruction in taildraggers.  If I do start tailwheel, is it harder 
> to transition to conventional gear or harder to go the other way?

It's slightly harder to transition from nosedragger to taildragger, but
that transition isn't really all that hard, and should be even less
difficult for a glider pilot.  (Glider pilots usually learn to use the
rudder... :-) )

> * As with most of us, cost is also an issue.  Should I expect to be able to
> do it somewhat cheaper in one or two shots at a flight school vs. on an
> hourly basis at the local FBO?  I have to factor in time/travel costs of 1
> hour/40miles round trip to the closest place where I can get instruction
> (in Tomahawks) or 2.5hrs/100 miles to a place where I can get instruction in
> a Citabria.

I'd suggest going for the closer location, assuming that the rental costs
aren't way out of line.  Personally, I strongly recommend a pay-as-you-go
approach over the "package deal".  With a package deal, there are several
problems:
    -  if they go out of business, you lose your money
    -  if you don't like the way you are being treated, you'll find it
       difficult to reclaim your money and go elsewhere
    -  they'll try to minimize your flight time, possibly at the expense
       of minimizing the quality of learning
    -  if you do go much over the expected times, many of these "fixed
       cost" flight schools have been known to say something like "well,
       you haven't been studying, and it's all your fault, so you'll have
       to pay for the extra time ... at our very inflated rates"

> How much time/cost should I be able to save given my glider
> experience?

You may save some, but probably not very much.  You'll benefit during the
basic stick-and-rudder part of learning (although that noisy thing up front
and P-factor will definitely be new for you).  But you'll still need to
learn how to deal (better) with things like radios, towers, taxiing, air
traffic control, cross-country navigation, flight by reference to
instruments, engine-out emergencies in which the aircraft seems to behave
more like a piano than you are used to, and so on.  There's a lot to learn.

> The club requires I think 100 hours in taildraggers before towing so it 
> probably behooves me to do as much of my training as possible in tailwheel to 
> meet that requirement as soon as possible.

In that case, the taildragger FBO might be worth your while.
Alternatively, check around very carefully at your close-by airport and see
if you can locate a taildragger which you could use for instruction, and a
qualified instructor.  You might very well be able to strike a deal with a
private owner, providing that you provided your own insurance.  This is
relatively easy -- a renters policy can be purchased for reasonably little.

> PS: Geoff, please send me the private pilot "handout"!  Thanks!

Sent.

						Geoff
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