A little background. First flying lesson 5-20-78. Passed private pilot checkride in 8-17-79 at the ripe (and poor) old age of 23 in Middletown, OH. First flight, which was dual instruction, in a Cub was 4-26-1982 in Waynesville OH. Here's how it came about.
My instructor, Red Stewart of Waynesville Airport didn't fly a Cub. When he placed his hands on the controls he magically became part of the airplane. Man and machine.........all one. I finished my flight instruction with Red at his little grass strip in a Cessna 172. It's what I was flying out of Lunken. One day I casually mentioned that I'd like to get some spin training because I had never done any. Even though I requested it, the original flight school I started at refused to spin their Cessna aircraft. He about fainted on the spot. "You have never spun an airplane!!" "You ain't flying my damn airplanes then..........let's get a Cub."
Preflight done I get in and notice how weird it is looking uphill and how long the Cub looks from inside. Red stands at the door pointing out carb heat, trim, brakes, etc. Red has me hold the brakes, crack the throttle, and turn the switch on. He simply turns around and props it from behind and hops in. Ok, now we have problems. Where did that wonderful view go!! I can't see a damn thing. Why did they bother to even put a panel in this stupid airplane? It was useless. We start to taxi and then comes the next surprise. Trying to taxi with the brakes half under the seat, and and the pedals conveniently placed between my instructors bottom and the sides of the airplane, I was jumping around in the back seat like I was sitting on hot coals and thumb tack's trying to get this thing out to the runway. As we zig zag our way out to the grass strip I am thinking, this is what it must feel like to have a seizure of some kind. This is just not normal. Who would possibly build an airplane this screwed up? After the run up Red informs me that on take off the tail has to be pushed up to a level attitude and then it will fly just like the Cessna's I'm so used too. That was, without a doubt, the most misleading aviation statement I have ever heard in my entire life.
Totally blind looking straight down the runway, I start adding power slowly. So far not bad. Full power, stick back....fine. I push forward on the stick to raise the tail, and then it happens. Suddenly, the Cub is doing it's best imitation of a freshly lit bottle rocket, without a stick. All over the airport is an understatement. I now understand why blocking the forward view out of a Cub isn't a hindrance after all..........the airplane doesn't really go that way anyhow. If a Lamborghini could change direction like the Cub did that day, they would have something to brag about. Just as I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse.................it starts hopping. Not in a straight line............more like a grasshopper on a bad acid trip. However, I do want you guys to know that I did pick up on the fact that all of this appeared to be somewhat abnormal so in sheer desperation I pull back on the stick and the Cub just flies away. Sure it was 30 degrees off the runway heading, but it flew just as calm and sweet as any airplane could possibly fly.
Red finally turns around and he is laughing so hard he has a tear running down his cheek. "This ain't no spam can son..........you have to fly this one." Well, the spin training was actually a non event after that ................. I'm thinking I still have to land this thing. The landing wasn't to bad. Bounced it several times, pinned the tail, and kept it going reasonably straight. Ok, I kept it on the airport property. Ok, I didn't hit the fence.
When I pushed the tail up and things went crazy I honestly thought I was going to destroy the little Cub. I had never had an airplane get so out of control. Now the mind set is I have to master this beast. This sinister tailwheel airplane is now on my list of things that I must learn how to fly, and I did. That's also when I noticed what a delightful little airplane it really was to fly.
Looking back now..............I realize that I really wasn't hurting the airplane, I was in no real danger, and Red knew it. He did this to every new tailwheel driver that came along just to show how lazy the feet actually get flying a tri-gear airplane.
I fell in love with the only airplane that ever scared the S%# out of me. I finally purchased N26761, a C-90 powered 1940 Cub in 1994. I have offers on it all the time and I tell them they will have to buy it from my daughter when I'm dead and gone. And of course most ask for her phone number...........just in case. Hey, what are friends for.
Steve Trutschel
My instructor, Red Stewart of Waynesville Airport didn't fly a Cub. When he placed his hands on the controls he magically became part of the airplane. Man and machine.........all one. I finished my flight instruction with Red at his little grass strip in a Cessna 172. It's what I was flying out of Lunken. One day I casually mentioned that I'd like to get some spin training because I had never done any. Even though I requested it, the original flight school I started at refused to spin their Cessna aircraft. He about fainted on the spot. "You have never spun an airplane!!" "You ain't flying my damn airplanes then..........let's get a Cub."
Preflight done I get in and notice how weird it is looking uphill and how long the Cub looks from inside. Red stands at the door pointing out carb heat, trim, brakes, etc. Red has me hold the brakes, crack the throttle, and turn the switch on. He simply turns around and props it from behind and hops in. Ok, now we have problems. Where did that wonderful view go!! I can't see a damn thing. Why did they bother to even put a panel in this stupid airplane? It was useless. We start to taxi and then comes the next surprise. Trying to taxi with the brakes half under the seat, and and the pedals conveniently placed between my instructors bottom and the sides of the airplane, I was jumping around in the back seat like I was sitting on hot coals and thumb tack's trying to get this thing out to the runway. As we zig zag our way out to the grass strip I am thinking, this is what it must feel like to have a seizure of some kind. This is just not normal. Who would possibly build an airplane this screwed up? After the run up Red informs me that on take off the tail has to be pushed up to a level attitude and then it will fly just like the Cessna's I'm so used too. That was, without a doubt, the most misleading aviation statement I have ever heard in my entire life.
Totally blind looking straight down the runway, I start adding power slowly. So far not bad. Full power, stick back....fine. I push forward on the stick to raise the tail, and then it happens. Suddenly, the Cub is doing it's best imitation of a freshly lit bottle rocket, without a stick. All over the airport is an understatement. I now understand why blocking the forward view out of a Cub isn't a hindrance after all..........the airplane doesn't really go that way anyhow. If a Lamborghini could change direction like the Cub did that day, they would have something to brag about. Just as I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse.................it starts hopping. Not in a straight line............more like a grasshopper on a bad acid trip. However, I do want you guys to know that I did pick up on the fact that all of this appeared to be somewhat abnormal so in sheer desperation I pull back on the stick and the Cub just flies away. Sure it was 30 degrees off the runway heading, but it flew just as calm and sweet as any airplane could possibly fly.
Red finally turns around and he is laughing so hard he has a tear running down his cheek. "This ain't no spam can son..........you have to fly this one." Well, the spin training was actually a non event after that ................. I'm thinking I still have to land this thing. The landing wasn't to bad. Bounced it several times, pinned the tail, and kept it going reasonably straight. Ok, I kept it on the airport property. Ok, I didn't hit the fence.
When I pushed the tail up and things went crazy I honestly thought I was going to destroy the little Cub. I had never had an airplane get so out of control. Now the mind set is I have to master this beast. This sinister tailwheel airplane is now on my list of things that I must learn how to fly, and I did. That's also when I noticed what a delightful little airplane it really was to fly.
Looking back now..............I realize that I really wasn't hurting the airplane, I was in no real danger, and Red knew it. He did this to every new tailwheel driver that came along just to show how lazy the feet actually get flying a tri-gear airplane.
I fell in love with the only airplane that ever scared the S%# out of me. I finally purchased N26761, a C-90 powered 1940 Cub in 1994. I have offers on it all the time and I tell them they will have to buy it from my daughter when I'm dead and gone. And of course most ask for her phone number...........just in case. Hey, what are friends for.
Steve Trutschel
