Tailwheel Flight Instructors in Anchorage, AK

[BobK]

Well, I went and did it... I bought the Champ Ive been looking at !

The paperwork gets sorted out tomorrow, so now comes the "where to keep it" decision. I was planning on Merrill Field, but Lake Hood is also an option, and might be easier depending on where my flight instructor is based.

Does anyone in the area have any recommendations on tailwheel instructors in Anchorage ? Ive already spoken with Herb at Stick & Rudder, and also with Rick at Arctic Flyers. I was just wondering if anyone had any other people they would suggest.

Thanks !

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[GAHorn]

Got a pic or two of that Champ?

[iowa]

thats really cool bob
yes, please post a few pics!!
dave

[Dward]

If you base a tail wheel airplane at a seaplane base is it possible to make full stop landings? Sorry about that Bob, congrats. Yes pictures!

[BobK]

Thanks for the good words Gentlemen !!!

Unfortunately, the Network Nannies at work dont let us access any of the free-image hosting sites, as well as about a hundred thousand other sites, so I'll have to wait till this evening to post a real picture. In the meantime, I did create a new Avatar...

I go and sign the paperwork and pickup the keys at lunch today.

As far as landing on Lake Hood... Why not start out with the Big Rocks/Long Props water-skimming landings, right ? Either that, or I'll just wait till it freezes, and then use the skis.

Hasta ~

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[BobK]

Heres the new addition...

Needless to say... I cant wait to go flying !!!





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[flyguy]

Golly It looks wonderful and that paint scheme makes it look like it is already goin like "sixty". Just couldn't say "goin a hundred miles an hour"

Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy

Hope you find a good instructor. They are a hoot to fly and don't have any real buggers in the closet but like any tail wheel airplane they can bite when mistreated.

[GAHorn]

Show us the INSIDE!
Which engine? Electrical system?

[futr_alaskaflyer]

I saw that on the ramp the other day (right where it is tied down in those photos) and boy did it catch my eye, me being hundreds of yards away in a moving vehicle. I donno how it will fly but it is a sweet looking bird!

[BobK]

Thanks again for all the words of encouragement !!!

I went over last night to drop off some things, and was going to take some pics of the inside, but forgot my camera... Oh well, tonight I should be able to get some. I'll warn ya, its pretty spartan inside !

The plane has an 0-235 with a 74/42 (going from memory?) climb prop and full electrics in it. It is a 7AC-EC Conversion, so it is essentially a PA-12 from the firewall forward. It currently has a hand-held COM radio and portable intercom wired in, but Im considering something like an Icom A200 mounted under the panel along with a panel-mounted intercom... That will probably come a little later, as all available funds are now going towards fuel and lessons ! I did order the EAA Autofuel STC last night, and have an EGT/CHT combo gauge on the way. Those are about the only additions I have planned so far.

During the test flight we made it off in less than half of the Hood strip with 2 people and 3/4 fuel on-board, so I would say this thing should be great for solo flying. Granted, the useful load isn't much, but I plan on mostly solo flights. (That way I can still envision a 170 in the future for the extra seats... )

I have my first lesson this afternoon... Cant wait !!!

Hasta ~

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[BobK]

Sorry it took so long, but in my excitement for actually flying, I didnt get the pictures taken until today... Ive got about 8 hours in it so far with my instructor, and if it wasnt for my insurance company requiring 10 hours prior to solo, my CFI said he would have soloed me already !

Today was a little tricky with some crosswind landings, but I did ok. The thing flies like a dream ! Im getting used to the handheld radio, but am still going to look into getting an Icom A200 mounted under the panel. The airspeed indicator seems to be off, and the writing on the compass ball is so faded that I can barely read it. Im going to call a shop here on Monday to ask about those 2 things, and see what it would take to fix them. Does anyone have any experiences with the vertical card compasses ? They seem to be a bit more expensive, but I like reading them better than the standard horizontal ones.

One other question... My plane has 13 gallon fuel tanks in each wing, and a 2.5 gallon header tank under the panel. Both wing tanks are vented, and so is the header tank. When Im flying along, I get fuel spray out of the vent for the header tank. I believe that it has caused the spider-webbing on the skylight. Im trying to decide if the header tank really needs to be vented since both wings tanks already are, or if I just need to try and put some sort of wind-break on the vent to prevent the fuel from siphoning out in flight....


Here are the pics, as promised !

Spartan Instrument Panel... But it gets the job done !


Extended baggage, fold down rear seat, and fishing pole tube.


Electrical panel, trim, and skylight.



Thanks, once again for all your help and support !

Hasta ~

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK

[Dward]

My 170 had a vertical card compass mounted on the glare shield when I bought it. It acted kind of screwy (technical term) and I replaced it with a whiskey ball from a salvage yard (Wentworth) for 60 bucks. I think I’ll have the vertical card looked at sometime thought because it might be repairable and I prefer them.

[Dward]

Nice plane, I could land in my hay field with that! I'd have to leave the kids home though.

[GAHorn]

The vertical card magnetic compasses are unreliable and failure prone. They've been discussed here extensively. (Try a search.)
Looks like you could trade that turn coordinator for a horizon and drop the egt for a DG which would probably be a lot more useful if you plan on keeping it. Or....leave it all alone and, using Velcro, mount a Garmin 196, etc and use the simulated panel feature.

[BobK]

No Artificial Horizon or DG for the Champ... Too heavy and too fancy ! I do see a Garmin 296 in my future, but thats probably not till next year. In the meantime, a little Etrex will fill the duties as best it can !

I did go and talk to the local shop about getting an Icom A200 installed... (which made me think I should be in the Avionics Installation business...) Ended up around $1900 installed, with some huffing and puffing about how they were going to get FAA to sign off on an under-panel mount....

Im going to call my mechanic and see what he recommends. I have to talk to him anyway to get my new EAA Autofuel STC in the logbooks and ready to use.

Hasta ~

Bob K.
Anchorage, AK