Can’t fly her….. but she looks pretty!

[Tnathan]

I’m in the Portland area. Got someone that I am hoping to connect with over the next month, but if that falls through, may reach out to ya for their contact info! I hate to see her sit for so long!

I struggled finding a pacer instructor, but live out on the east coast. I ended up finding an instructor in scappose Oregon. If Dave is still training, he should be close by.

http://oregonflighttraining.com/training.html

[didja]

I was able to find a trainer here at Lenhardt’s airport! Training in a champ and having a blast learning to fly on the ground! Work them rudder pedals!!

[Tnathan]

In aviation, everyone has their own opinions and I guess I am no different. There is a difference between flying a pacer and a champ. I got my tail wheel sign off in a champ. Flew a cub for 5 years. But before I soloed my pacer I went and worked with Dave in scapoose for a week. I thought it was money well spent. Taught me about the nuances of a pacer. Told me things to look out for. Gave me his v numbers. Etc. I thought it was money well spent. I am sure you will get comments on here that disagree with me but some time in type with a Cfi made sense to me. And frankly, if I recall afemco required it before covering me.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.


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[Jspey]

There is a difference between flying a pacer and a champ.

No joke. Our most experienced instructor with hundreds (thousands maybe?) of tailwheel hours, nearly all in a Citabria, recently got an RV6. I offered to take him up in the Pacer to "bridge the gap" before he got his insurance checkout. Holy crap he was sawing pedals like crazy in the flare and ground roll. He picked it up quick after the first few. I think it surprised him how different it was.

[didja]

Oh absolutely! As soon as I am comfortable in flying tailwheel I am going to be finding someone that can fly with me in the Vagabond for transition training. There is a guy at the field that owns a vagabond, just got to get together with him!

[Tnathan]

Oh absolutely! As soon as I am comfortable in flying tailwheel I am going to be finding someone that can fly with me in the Vagabond for transition training. There is a guy at the field that owns a vagabond, just got to get together with him!

Sure, I have been accused of being a nervous nelly. I know there are some pilots that are like if it has wings I can fly it. I am getting closer to that attitude but it take time and experience. You will get lots of opinions. I used to ask for folks recipes on here and if they didn’t work concluded they didn’t know what they were talking about. Now, my view is every one is telling their truth, but there are a ton of variables that may make what they are saying work for you or not. Even after flying the pacer in scappose, I found my plane flew a lot different. Dave had me wheel landing his stock pa-20 at 90kts. It worked but we were two 250lb guys in his pacer and he had a 5000 foot runway. Controlled the vsi, but Burned up a lot of runway and was exciting if you didn’t keep it straight as you zing down the runway for a long roll out.

I flew with my father in law showing him my newly acquired skills when I got back, and he was like “well it works but man that is fast.. is that really how you have to fly pacers?” We took my pa-22/20 out with wing tips and vgs and around 200 less lbs. and he had me try 85. Felt better. Then 80, felt better. 75, felt better. 70 felt better. 65, worked but vsi seemed a little harder to manage. So now 70 is my stock air speed for me in my rig. Less entertaining to manage but the bottom doesn’t fall out. Lately I have been trying a little tail low and can slow her down even more and burn up a lot less runway. Pick your battles work with folks who know what you are flying and evaluate if it is working or not. And make small adjustments. You will ultimately find something that makes sense for you and your rig.


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[didja]

Sure, I have been accused of being a nervous nelly. I know there are some pilots that are like if it has wings I can fly it. I am getting closer to that attitude but it take time and experience. You will get lots of opinions. I used to ask for folks recipes on here and if they didn’t work concluded they didn’t know what they were talking about. Now, my view is every one is telling their truth, but there are a ton of variables that may make what they are saying work for you or not. Even after flying the pacer in scappose, I found my plane flew a lot different. Dave had me wheel landing his stock pa-20 at 90kts. It worked but we were two 250lb guys in his pacer and he had a 5000 foot runway. Controlled the vsi, but Burned up a lot of runway and was exciting if you didn’t keep it straight as you zing down the runway for a long roll out.

I flew with my father in law showing him my newly acquired skills when I got back, and he was like “well it works but man that is fast.. is that really how you have to fly pacers?” We took my pa-22/20 out with wing tips and vgs and around 200 less lbs. and he had me try 85. Felt better. Then 80, felt better. 75, felt better. 70 felt better. 65, worked but vsi seemed a little harder to manage. So now 70 is my stock air speed for me in my rig. Less entertaining to manage but the bottom doesn’t fall out. Lately I have been trying a little tail low and can slow her down even more and burn up a lot less runway. Pick your battles work with folks who know what you are flying and evaluate if it is working or not. And make small adjustments. You will ultimately find something that makes sense for you and your rig.


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Hahaha! I've had plenty of warnings from my grandfather-in-law whom I purchased the airplane from to make sure someone trains me on this specifically due to the short wheelbase! I'm looking forward to it!

[tnowak]

Didja,

Once you have your tailwheel rating/endorsement (or whatever you call it), and a few tailwheel hours completed, you won't find the Vagabond difficult to fly at all. It is a very easy aircraft to fly.
Make sure your tailwheel geometry is correct for good handing on the ground.
The only thing that can "surprise" a new Vagabond owner is the round-out/flair. The Vagabond tends to sink a bit quicker that most other non-short wing tailwheel aircraft do.
But no issue at all, just watch you speed on approach and don't get too slow. I find 60 MPH on approach is the slowest I like to fly.
TonyN

[akflyer]

Elevator controls speed, power controls rate of decent. If you are not comfortable slowing it down close to the ground, take it to altitude and drive it around in slow flight and find what numbers your comfortable with before you get close to the ground. I don't mean driving it around straight and level, get in lots of turns and even shallow climbs and descents. Short final I am at 50 and touch down around 40 (with power). I am stopped in under 200' on a consistent basis.

3 weeks ago I was playing in the brooks range with 5 other cubs/carbon cubs/purpose built experimental cubs. I landed and took off every single gravel bar and strip they did except for 1 that only 1 guy hit and the rest declined due to the approach on the river. My TO and landing distances were less that a couple of the cubs, why? Because I spend a lot of time in really slow flight hanging it on the edge andI know exactly where that edge is. Once you're in ground effect, you have a little margin as well.

[didja]

Thanks for the pointers on speeds and such! Getting someone to do transition training with me is going to be the hard part! As I am 6' 4" and 250 pounds, that doesnt leave a whole lot of room for passenger weight and fuel! lol! Anyone know any small lady CFIs in the pacific NW that has Vagabond experience?! We'll see how this works out!

I've got about 6 hours in a Champ now! I'm enjoying the heck out of landing tailwheel!