The Cessna 120-140 Association Forum

Hello all,

I am working on wrapping up my tailwheel endorsement here in the next few weeks, weather permitting. I am working on getting access to a 120; but I am sure the insurance is going to require a few hours in type (I am training in a Cub). I am based out of central CT - anyone with a 120 or 140 in the area that can offer some training/time in type? I am about 260lbs and the owner of the one I will be flying is about the same or more - so the two of us won't be flying together. Trying to find a 120/140 in the general area with a pilot on the lighter side to build a couple hours in.

Just trying to figure out how to get the hours the insurance company will want.

Thanks for any help or advice anyone can provide!

I'm in CA, so I can't help you with the airplane, but my insurance required 1 hr with CFI in type before solo or carrying passengers. I had about 100TT and 25 hrs TW.

At 350 TT, 40 Tailwheel, and 0 in type my insurance wanted to see 2 hr with an instructor and 15 landings.

In Canada there is no such thing as a TW endorsement, so my insurance company said they wanted a CFI to check me out. I said my nephew who has 3000 hrs on a Cessna Ag Truck would be far more qualified to do that than a CFI who most likely has never seen a tail wheel airplane. Common sense prevailed and they agreed.

I have taken tailwheel lessons with Katelynn Kearney (@flywithkate) and she is an excellent instructor. She doesn't have a 120/140 available, but has quite a few hours training others in theirs.

I haven't asked her weight, but I would guess around 130lbs. She is located at Resnick Airport, Ellenville, NY.

8474 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:53 pm In Canada there is no such thing as a TW endorsement, so my insurance company said they wanted a CFI to check me out. I said my nephew who has 3000 hrs on a Cessna Ag Truck would be far more qualified to do that than a CFI who most likely has never seen a tail wheel airplane. Common sense prevailed and they agreed.

Technically that's one of the reasons here in the U.S that there is a requirement for new tail wheel pilots since the early 1990's to receive a endorsement from a qualified flight instructor. Tail wheel operations certainly are not as numerous as they used to be, and in the eyes of insurance companies certain mishaps might have been prevented if individuals were more qualified to operate an aircraft equipped with conventional gear. Although there are certainly qualified individuals here in the U.S. who have large amounts of time in tail wheel aircraft not all them can teach safe proper technique in the operation of conventional gear aircraft in the eyes of insurance companies or the FAA. That's why an endorsement from a qualified CFI is required. In the past, I occasionally flew a Cessna L-19/0-1 for a flying museum located in Ozark, AL. One might think that with all those U.S. Army fixed wing aviators who flew Bird Dogs there wouldn't be a problem finding qualified pilots, but there is.

I agree there is definitely a need for some dual instruction for someone who has never flown a conventional airplane, just as there needs to be for someone transitioning from a Robinson R22 to a Bell 205, yet the FAA does not require endorsements for that, while Transport Canada requires an endorsement for every helicopter type.

So you can see why I have to wonder about the requirement for a TW "endorsement". I should have mentioned I'm a 16,000 hour helicopter pilot and have over 500 hours FW time, Pa-18, Citabria among that but some time ago, and even though I didn't need an endorsement I still knew I wanted someone with lots more time than me to check me out......but that's what happens when you get old

Here is something to ponder: http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-r ... w0063.html

Going a long way for this experience - found a flight school near Brisbane, Australia with a 140!

Kind of kidding - going there in January to drop my daughter of at college for a semester abroad. Had reached out in some facebook groups to find someone to fly with and ended up getting in touch with a training center that has a 140 to teach tailwheel. Will get up for some time with him while over there - though I won't have my TW endorsement yet so it will still be just dual, not PIC. Should still be fun as heck though!

Hopefully the fires are under control by then, have fun.

8349 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2019 7:42 pm Going a long way for this experience - found a flight school near Brisbane, Australia with a 140!

Kind of kidding - going there in January to drop my daughter of at college for a semester abroad. Had reached out in some facebook groups to find someone to fly with and ended up getting in touch with a training center that has a 140 to teach tailwheel. Will get up for some time with him while over there - though I won't have my TW endorsement yet so it will still be just dual, not PIC. Should still be fun as heck though!

I'll bet it will be "fun".............scenic too!