You'll be fine ! The Rebel is easier than the Citabria,
and will be off the ground much faster, with more rudder
authority. I always take off & land with full flapperon -
that's the best way to use the camber-changing ability of
the flapperons. It reduces your takeoff & landing roll,
while still giving you good control. You can always drop to
2 notches, once you are up a few hundred feet & stable.
THERE IS NO REASON, EVER, TO DO WHEEL LANDINGS
IN A REBEL !!! I said that in caps, because that's my experience.
The Rebel will handle more crosswind than most pilots, and
it always lands best in 3 points, with full flapperon. Just MHO !!
Wheel landings are more difficult to do, and, sooner or later,
you have to drop the tail, usually when speed drops and you have
LESS rudder power - NOT a good time !
My old taildragger instructor always said - "If the stick is
ALL THE WAY BACK when the wheels touch the ground, you'll
have a good landing". Get close to the runway, fly level,
and just keep easing back steadily, trying to maintain a few inches
of height - pull back as the speed bleeds off, and try to end up
with full back stick before touching - then KEEP it back !
Even if you bounce a bit, just keep it back ... it'll all work out.
You really get into trouble if you ease forward, or play with
the power - if it gets messed up, just GO AROUND !
If you can, do a few hours from a grass strip to get comfortable
with the Rebel - grass is much more forgiving ! :-)
You're going to LOVE it !!! :-)
--
......bobp
bobp@prosumers.ca
http://www.prosumers.ca
http://bpatterson.qhealthbeauty.com
http://apatterson2.qhealthzone.com
http://apatterson2.ordermygift.com
-------------------------------orig.-------------------------
On Tuesday 06 May 2008 00:41, bransom@dcsol.com wrote:
I got my tailwheel endorsement last week. In a Citabria. I bunched it
all into one week in order to combine it with a week off visiting my Dad
and a much closer drive to a tailwheel place than where I live. It was
actually much more challenging than I anticipated. My GA time is very
low, and 0 within last 6 years. Also I don't think my thousands of
ultralight (taildragger) landings helped any. Too much slower and
practically no gyro precession as it flies off too easily without fussing
with lifting the tail first, not to mention light prop.
I just searched back through the archives briefly to skim some of the
experience here on Rebel tailwheel behavior. Was a little relieved to see
some posts such as from BobP and others regarding the very solid 3-point
capability in crosswinds, as my wheel landing the Citabria has a ways to
go before being able to count on em. Any comment on how the Rebel
take-off and landings compare to Citabria 115hp?
-Ben
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