I’m a legal pilot for another two years having passed my Biennial Flight Review yesterday. I had a fine time with famous crusty old flying instructor Jim Drinnan at Camden.
We did many, many circuits in a two-seat high-wing Citabria aircraft.
I have always landed tailwheel aircraft in the three-point attitude – with the nose high and all three wheels touching down together. There’s another way of landing, supposedly better to use in a stiff crosswind. Its called a wheeler landing – touching down in a level attitude on just the two main wheels, then settling the tailwheel down onto the runway.
Citabria MWY at Camden
So Jim taught me how to do wheeler landings. There was a crosswind, so I had to tip one wing into wind and land on one wheel, holding it firmly on the runway when it touched by moving the control stick forward. The nose-low attitude was a bit scary at first, but I got used to it. It doesn’t feel natural at all, but I’ll keep practising till I get confident.
Jim likes low-level tight-in circuits – you can pack in more landings that way! It was a real workout, but good fun as well.
Congratulations, John, on passing the Biennial Flight Review!
Thanks Chris!