Andrew McCarthy just completed two days of training in the Super Cub with me. He only needed six hours to complete the basic tailwheel course including some significant crosswind practice on the first day, as we were dealing with the remnants of the strong cold front that blew in on Wednesday night. Despite the bumpy air, Andrew practiced 3 Point and Wheel landings, short and rough field takeoff and landings, stalls and steep turns as he learned to fly instinctively, listening to the airflow, feeling the control response and gauging the flight path visually.
We always have two objectives….to have fun and to learn how to fly tailwheels. Andrew tells me he had a great time and I know he can fly the Super Cub, so I believe we met our goals.
Ken Wittekiend is an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, professional flight instructor, aircraft owner and founder of ProMark Aviation Services, a flight training company based in Burnet, Texas.
Ken is a commercial pilot with over 11,000 hours of experience in a wide variety of general aviation aircraft. He began flying in 1970 while attending the University of Texas at Austin.