We are very lucky in this club to have as the chief towpilot, an instructor who is also a glider pilot and motorglider owner. His experience and expertise put me at ease at the same time making me focus just on flying while forgetting all the excuses I usually am hampered with when it comes to learning and testing! On the first of our two days, we used the CubCrafters SportCub S2 rented from the FBO that the club uses for towplane maintenance.
The fancy GPS which I didn't know how to operate wasn't needed thankfully and the rest of it was a lot like the Super Cub I got to fly a few times at WVSA in '93. We flew over to a little airport with nice grass next to their paved strip for take-off and landing practice as that is where all the skill is required. A good hour of that work and I was starting to really enjoy the little bird. Eats up $ fast so one has to be efficient! A great day for me as I hadn't had that kind of power flying for quite some time.
The next day we flew the LSA SportCub to our gliderport, 1OR4, at North Plains, OR for simulated tow training and more t/o&landings, real quick at that. After about 5 of those he got out and soloed me for 10 more circuits. After we returned the SportCub to Twin Oaks, we drove the ~20 miles back to 1OR4 where Bob put me in this good-looking Piper "Pawnee" PA-25-260 towplane which was originally designed and used as a cropduster but has found new life as a wonderfully strong and efficient towplane. The only drawback is that there are no two-place trainers and one has to just get in and fly it just as those young aviators had to do in WWII when they transitioned from the trainers to the fighters!
He had me highspeed taxiing, lifting the tail and then putting it back down a few times before letting me go. T/O was easy with that 260 HP and some right foot. Turned easily to a left upwind and climbed "quickly" to 3K and performed some maneuvers, wow, it flys nicely! First touchdown was perfect, beginner's luck, but the rollout was way to bouncy although I got it stopped OK using all the runway. Next one was't too good so I did a go-around but all ten others got progressively better. He signed me off for grass only and I know why after messing with that Cub on the "hard" runway at the other airports.
Now I have to fly in the glider with Bob twice and then tow him twice before I'm cleared to tow.
I've been wanting to do this since I started flying gliders with the MIT Soaring Asssn. in Boston back in '91!
