(Back)Pressure.

I've had two sessions towards my tail wheel rating with my instructor to date. Both have been a hell of a lot of fun, and I've learned alot in that short time. Our first session was last week. I had a 5kt crosswind at the home base, and there was a very thick haze coating the area. Captain Ron put me through some basics, but there were some suprises. For example, we did a couple of stalls, and for some reason I was suprised when the wing dropped over instead of just mushing downwards as the Tommy would. It also took some serious effort and back pressure on the stick to get the Citabria to stall at all! I instinctivly applied opposite rudder and corrected the attitude, and after a few more, Ron seemed happy with the stall recovery.

I think I shot a total of six pattern landings. The first take off and landing were dreadful. I cut S-shapes all the way down the grass strip until I yanked the airplane skyward. But then I quickly got a hold on things. It took some getting used to pulling that stick back into my lap to make 3 pointers, but Ron made sure I would'nt forget by repeating those words over and over into my headset until we were firmly on the ground.

"Back pressure, Back pressure, Back pressure, Back pressure, Back pressure......"

The last 2 landings, I didn't hear Ron say a word, and that's always a good thing. Later he would tell our friends I had made some great landings. Not a bad thing to hear after your first day flying tail draggers!

I flew again yesterday, and we had a much stiffer cross wind. I'd like to say it went as well as the first day, but I was pretty frustrated with my landings. Just sloppy. Everything would look good right up until the mains touched down, then I would just lack the appropriate inputs to keep the airplane traveling and pointing in the same direction. I knew the wind was coming from my right, so I should apply right and back pressure with the stick, and left rudder with the tail in the air. I knew what I should have been doing, but somehow it just was'nt coming together how I would have liked. Ahh, well. I guess that means I'm going to have to fly the Citabria some more.

...Darn. : )