Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes Texas Taildragger owner's opinions solicited

Now that 16-Golf is gone, I am eagerly searching for a replacement. I have narrowed the decision process down to three categories of planes. One of the planes that I'm considering is a Texas Taildragger. As a low time pilot (200 PIC hours) without a tailwheel endorsement (yet), most insurance companies won't even offer insurance on my dream plane- a tailwheel Maule- until I:

1) Receive my tailwheel endorsement and log a couple hundred hours in a tailwheel.

2) Receive (minimal, about 20 hours) dual training in a Maule tailwheel.

(Note: As a low time pilot w/out specific training in a Maule, but with at least a tailwheel endorsement, you can purchase insurance on a Maule for the low, low annual premium of roughly $5,000-$5,500! Can you imagine?)

So...I'm strongly considering purchasing and flying a tailwheel plane for a couple years in an effort to build up enough time to be able to purchase insurance on a Maule at a reasonable rate.

I sold 16G essentially because I needed more than 500 pounds of useful load. On a hot day, with full fuel, I was limited to a passenger and a toothbrush. I have heard people suggest that a 150 h.p. Texas Taildragger might offer a greater useful load, but I have never investigated this claim. Also, because I have no desire to purchase a tandem seat taildragger, this really limits the possibilities of which taildragger to purchase.

I've heard the hype and the exaggerated stories (I was born at night, but not last night!) about the capabilities of Texas Taildraggers, but now I'm coming to this membership for the FACTS.

Guys, what can I reasonably (i.e. safely ) expect out of a Texas Tailwheel with regards to performance, capabilities, reliability and handling characteristics. I respectfully ask that the following questions be answered by those with first hand experience with Texas Taildraggers. I've already heard enough second hand opinions to last several lifetimes.

So here are a handful of specific questions for the "Taildraggers" in our membership:

1) What's a typical useful load?

2) What's a typical fuel burn/hour at say, 2,550 rpms and 3500' agl?

3) Realistic cruise speed at 2,550 rpms and 3000' agl?

4) Take off/ landing distances over the infamous 50' object?

5) Annual insurance premium for aTexas Tailwheel?

A couple other naive, but important questions: Are these planes tricky to learn how to fly? Are they durable/reliable considering the tailwheel is essentially an "aftermarket" application. As someone who has flown a Texas Tailwheel plane, in your view will a Texas Tailwheel out perform a stock C-140 and a C-170?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.

Mont in MI

I'd go with the C-170 if at all possible. Great airplane, and maintenance is a breeze, well designed. If you can, stay away from C-140... too 'classic' and not as much performance as a stock C-150!

Mont in MI

I have a Texas Taildragger 150M with the 0-200, so the performance is nearly the same as the tri-gear.

1)In my airplane with full fuel the useful load is 355#. I weigh 195 so that leaves 160 for the passenger.

2)Fuel burn at altitude,leaned is conservatively 6 gal./hr.

3)Airspeed at 2550-2600 rpm at altitude with just me is about 95 kts.

4) Take off and landing distances seem to be about the book values.

5) Insurance this year was $1156 with Avemco. I have more than 1,000 hrs. of tailwheel time, but I am also 78 years old, so I don't know if this is a useful benchmark.

Since you are going for the 150/150 this may not be too helpful.

Geo.

1) What's a typical useful load? There's not much left for anything. I can carry 40 gallons of fuel, so by the time I get in, get another 200 pound passenger, then 20 pounds of stuff in the back, I'm right at gross. However, with the extra horsepower ,(150), I can still get 1000+ fpm climb. This morning I flew up to 13,500 feet just for fun. So, With mine, if you can get it in the doors, you can take it with you. Legally, perhaps not. But, you'd be amazed at the performance.

2) What's a typical fuel burn/hour at say, 2,550 rpms and 3500' agl? I don't have a fuel flow gauge, but I'm consistently getting between 8 and 8.5 gph and I don't push too hard, about 2500-2550.

3) Realistic cruise speed at 2,550 rpms and 3000' agl? Not pushing it too hard, mostly around 25 inches MP, I see a steady 105kts. I can go up to 135 mph but I'm burning a bunch of gas to do it.

4) Take off/ landing distances over the infamous 50' object? Less than 700 feet, guaranteed. When the winds are really up here, I like to take off with 20 degrees of flaps, full throttle before releasing the brakes. Push the yoke forward until the tail comes up then pull it back down just I see the airspeed come alive, and weeeeeee, I'm off the ground. Shortest distance so far has been 150 feet.

5) Annual insurance premium for aTexas Tailwheel? 1106 through AIG.

The ground handling, takeoffs and landings are manageable, learnable, and lotsa fun. I learned it. I'm convinced anyone can. I made friends with mine pretty quick. And, as for the stories from Texas...Well, they're not just stories, partner!

I intend to take a video of a windy day takeoff using the 20 degree flap method. Expect to be impressed.

If you go the Texas Taildragger route, I'd also look for one that has the long range tanks. I've flown both standard tanks and long range tanks. You don't notice that you're carrying the extra fuel, but it crimps my style to have to land all the time for fuel. Standard tanks limits your legs to about 2:15 with a 30 minute reserve.

When I first got my insurance quote, I had 6 hours tailwheel, all in a super cub. None in type, and 1300 total time with multi, commercial, instrument, and rotorcraft-helicopter. My first quote was nearly 1500 dollars/year. I decided to take the chance and fly it without insurance until I got some time. Now, I have 35+ hours in the 150/150 TD, and I'm insured now for 1106/year. Saved me about 400 dollars/year. Get some time in one first. You'll make back the money you spent. And then you have something to show for it.

Good luck with finding one.

Mont,

As you've probably gathered by the other posts, a standard 150 with a TTD conversion, is basically a standard 150 but the third wheel is at the tail, so the performance is pretty much exactly the same as what you just had.

With the 150hp it is a different animal altogether, although the benifit in forward speed (marginal) is taken away with fuel flow.....yes it will lift extra weight(legally and otherwise) but the cabin is still 150 size

In all honesty, if you want a bigger payload, go for a bigger aircraft. The later model 170 is better than the first series as it has a metal wing not fabric (+ flaps if I recall correctly) - not that there is anything wrong with a fabric aircraft, as I also own one of them, fabric aircraft that is, but if the fabric on the wing is in average condition you can expect to spend some money on a rebag soon($,000.00) but once its done, you can bank on another 20+ years of service provided you keep it hangared. 170's will lift a little more weight that a 172 but, only a little.

Not quite sure why a Maule is more expensive to insure over there other than the fact you have extra seats when comparing it with a 150, and a greater hull value - that value should be on a standard sliding scale along with the seat value.(in other words a 4 seats of insurance should not be twice the value of 2 seats of insurance - if you know what I mean) $5000.00+ sounds too high to me, but then again that's insurance for you......Get some tailwheel time quickly...

Good Luck

Mont-
I have a 150 with an 0-200 and a 152 with the 0-235 so anything I say about performance would not be particularly relevent to your inquiry. As for handling characteristics, there was a pretty good discussion on the forum last month with most of the TD boys participating. I think you'll get some good first-hand information there.

Bring up the SEARCH and key in "taildragger 101" and "taildragger 102" - that will bring up those discussion threads. If you want to see everything on the forum about taildraggers, and there's a bunch, key in 'taildraggers".

The only 'advice' that I would offer is this: Correct wheel toe-in and camber can make the difference between a sweet, fun flying machine versus a tilt-n-whirl carnival ride

That being said TD's are a HOOT!

Good Luck! Hope you can come across a TD that will make your heart-strings sing!

Oh yeah- My insurance is through Avemco - $1186.00/year. Avemco offers a a discount after 50 hours logged in TD.

Dennis

I tried typing in "taildragger 101" and nothing turned up. Any other suggestion?

Thanks,

Monty

Found 'em.

What Gary said. He pretty much summed up anything I could add. I don't have the long range tanks and I limit myself to two hour legs. There are times I wish I had more but most of the time I look forward to the stop. My insurance is $650/year with a $30,000 hull value. I also have more than 1000 hours tailwheel.

Maybe "marginal" is a subjective concept, but N150DM can easily cruise about 25-30 MPH faster than a standard airplane. Yes, she slurps the avgas at that speed, but that's the only down side. Not to pick Nits Matthew, but it just seems like 30 MPH is a nice bump...maybe not everyone agrees with me on this though...I've found myself standing alone more than once <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />