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Thread: Wide gear pacer for training

  1. #1
    sbmackie's Avatar
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    Default Wide gear pacer for training

    Hello,
    Any of you CFI's given indorsement training in a wide gear short wing? Got one close by on my radar. Has brakes on the right side. Have owned/taught in a Citabria and a 140, found the Citabria forgiving, the 140 maybe a little bouncier. Owned a Pacer wide gear never really felt it was that much of a challenge.

    What say you, community?

    Scott
    Last edited by sbmackie; 01-18-2021 at 02:50 PM.

  2. #2
    andya's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    Probably depends on where you are based with the airplane
    "Progress is our most important problem"

  3. #3
    sbmackie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    North Georgia. 6000 feet of paved, 2500 feet of grass one side, 2000 on the other side of a taxiway. 1000 msl or there abouts. Wondering why it matters?

  4. #4
    andya's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    What matters is I love to do what your are asking but my location is about 1450 miles to the west of you.
    There should be some fellows in Georgia or Alabama that could help
    "Progress is our most important problem"

  5. #5
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    Don Lee has a good business in Talkeetna Alaska do just that. I know the allure of Alaska has something to do with it but people want to learn to fly tailwheel aircraft as well.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    I got my tailwheel endorsement in a rented Cessna 140. The next thing I flew was the wide gear PA20 I bought shortly after that. I think the PA20 handled better than that 140.

  7. #7
    ClippedWing's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    There is nothing untamable about a Pacer. I had to land the other day in very windy conditions (30-40° cross, 21 gusting to 29) and there is more than enough directional control right down to brake speed.

    The problem with “learning” in a Pacer is that they are VERY responsive and that takes more time to adjust to if someone has never really used their feet before.

    If possible, I always recommend to my students that they get some time in a Cub, Champ, Citabria (in that order) first. It will shorten the overall time to proficiency in my opinion as the Cub is very docile. Once a student figures out what the rudder pedals are for, the transition to “how much” input is required to keep it straight for each type of aircraft is much easier.

    That being said, nothing wrong with learning in a Pacer either but you can expect the time to proficiency to be longer than in one of the aforementioned aircraft.

    I don’t know how many tail wheel aircraft I’ve flown (30+?) and other than the Pitts, which has very narrow mission capabilities, the Pacer is the most fun and second most challenging!

  8. #8
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    I learned to fly in a Clipper. I got frustrated because I had 10-12 hours and hadn't soloed and my instructor suggested we fly his 140A. I was pretty irritated with myself and told him I didn't own a 140A, I owned a Clipper and I wanted to learn to fly it. Finally got soloed at 15 hours. It took more time but I think I learned a lot of good things and haven't really found anything super challenging since although the Ag Cat did intimidate me but turned out to be a pussy cat.

  9. #9
    akflyer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    If the gear is aligned there is nothing challenging about a pacer. Out of all the tail draggers I have flown the only two that I ever had a mild ground loop in were an avid and kitfox on narrow gear that the axles were bent on (doesn't take much to knock the 3/4" axles out of whack). Both those planes on the wide gear are a joy to fly.

    Personally I think it better to learn in something that might be a bit more of a challenge as it will teach you good habits right off the bat. Nothing like getting some time in a real tame bird and thinking you got it then getting turned loose in a tiger that bites you.

  10. #10
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wide gear pacer for training

    Quote Originally Posted by akflyer View Post
    Personally I think it better to learn in something that might be a bit more of a challenge as it will teach you good habits right off the bat. Nothing like getting some time in a real tame bird and thinking you got it then getting turned loose in a tiger that bites you.
    I agree but wonder about those that get easily disenfranchised and there goes your business. I guess you need to show them the fun things they can do in a Pacer and set some goals of places you can go.

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