In this video, I take you through my first solo flight in a tailwheel airplane! Not only was this my first tailwheel solo, but it was also my first time flying solo in over 9 years! It’s been a long journey to get here, and while I’ll share more about my flying story in another video, let’s just say this solo has been a long time coming!
The flight took place at Millville Airport on a busy day with crosswinds strong enough to make us reconsider whether the solo should even happen—you’ll hear that discussion at the start of the video. Ultimately, I decided to go for it!
Right after liftoff, I spotted another aircraft crossing the runway’s end at pattern altitude, and I wasn’t entirely sure of their intentions. You’ll see me glancing between my iPad and the window to keep an eye on them, which led to a pretty messy traffic pattern on my part. I managed to adjust on downwind and get back into a good position, though!
One thing I noticed immediately was how much lighter the airplane felt without a passenger. During my roundout, the wind had a bit more of an effect on me than I was expecting, but I think I handled it well overall.
This solo flight felt a bit chaotic, and after more than seven years away from solo flying, I was definitely rusty. But finally reaching this milestone was an incredible feeling. Here’s to the next adventure!
This video shows my first Touch & Go in a tailwheel aircraft! A Touch & Go involves landing and taking off again without coming to a complete stop. The runway at Woodbine, NJ, is a bit short for a full stop and go (without pulling off and taxiing back), so this was the perfect opportunity to practice. Watch closely during the landing—you’ll see the tailwheel’s shadow never meets the tailwheel wheel on the plane, showing that the wheel never touches the ground. I let this video run longer than usual because you can see a couple neat clusters of buildings on the ground as I’m climbing in the pattern.
Living in Southern New Jersey, I’m fortunate that winters here aren’t as harsh as in New England. However, temperatures still hover in the mid-30s to low 40s during the colder months, which can affect how your airplane operates.
Recently, I noticed my engine temperature maxing out around 150˚F during flights—much lower than the temperatures I’d typically see in summer. That got me wondering: do I need to take action? After seeing posts about pilots covering their cowlings, I started asking questions. The unanimous answer was a resounding yes.
Why Engine Temperature Matters
It’s crucial for your engine to reach and maintain its normal operating temperature for at least 10 minutes during a flight. This ensures that any water in the oil evaporates, preventing it from lingering in the oil tank and engine. If left unchecked, that moisture can lead to corrosion inside the engine, potentially causing costly damage over time.
Some signs of corrosion to watch for include rust on the dipstick (especially on the underside where moisture collects) and rust inside the oil filler tube.
Finding a Solution
If you notice your engine running cooler than it should, consult your mechanic for advice tailored to your airplane. Every plane is different, and what worked for me may not work for you. That said, here’s how I addressed the issue in my Cessna 140—with guidance from my mechanic.
The goal is to limit the amount of cold air entering the cowling and cooling the engine too much. Some pilots fabricate custom cover plates for their air inlets, while others use tape for a quicker fix. I opted for tape since I needed a solution right away, realizing it had been far too long since my engine had run at full temperature.
My Approach
On my Cessna 140, I used good-quality duct tape to cover the air inlets on the cowling, as shown in the photos. You’ll notice the tape on the right is horizontal—this was intentional to avoid blocking the heater air intake (I think) in the bottom left corner.
Additionally, inside the cowling, there’s an opening with a pipe that directs cold air from the front through the baffle and down toward the oil pan. I covered this opening with metal tape to withstand the higher temperatures in that area.
The pipe through baffle that directs air downward toward the oil pan.Metal tape over the hole through the baffle that lets air through to the read compartment.
After making these changes, I saw engine temperatures during my next flight range from 185˚F to 190˚F—right where I wanted them! This was on a day when the outside temperature was about 38˚F.
Monitoring and Adjustments
I plan to keep an eye on the engine temperatures to ensure they don’t climb too high on warmer days. Depending on how the weather shifts, I might need to adjust the setup, but I’m hopeful this solution will hold until spring. Next year I’m going to try to find or fabricate a nicer solution for this problem.
If you’re experiencing similar issues, don’t wait too long to address them. A little preventative action can go a long way in protecting your engine during the winter months.
I’m flying my Cessna 140 over the stunning Sand Washes of southern New Jersey! The view is gorgeous, with the brilliant turquoise hues of the sand washes creating a surreal contrast against the surrounding landscape. It’s a unique and unexpected splash of color, especially in the drab browns of winter!
In this video, we practice a planned “go-around” procedure, which my instructor explains at the start. As we turn to final approach for runway 28 at Millville Airport, an unexpected encounter with a large bird crossing our flight path prompts my instructor to take quick evasive action to avoid a collision.
After that brief moment of excitement, we smoothly resume and complete the go-around procedure as planned.
During the approach to Bucks (from the easier side), everything seemed fine, but I cut the power a bit too early and ended up dropping the airplane onto the runway—you can even hear my surprise as we bounced along!
It’s a perfect reminder to keep flying your tailwheel all the way until you’ve come to a complete stop! 😂 You’ll notice I lose a bit of control during the rollout.
Although this was one of the first landings I ever recorded in my plane, I still find myself eager to “put the airplane down” because the strip feels small during the approach, and I worry about overrunning the end of the runway. In reality, there’s plenty of room!
The red glow on our heads? That’s from the map light we had on behind us! Either that or we’re running too hot!
I bought a tailwheel airplane—a bouncy little Cessna 140—at the end of August, and flying it has been a journey that’s both exciting and intimidating. I spent a long time debating whether I should go the tailwheel route, and even after the purchase, I had serious second thoughts. I was convinced I’d induce the dreaded ground loop that tailwheel airplanes are known for, and for a while, it felt like I might have made a huge mistake.
Adding to the challenge, I keep my plane at a small grass strip in Southern New Jersey. The strip is very close to my house, which makes it incredibly convenient—I love being able to visit my plane whenever I feel the need or want to. But it also adds a layer of complexity to my training. Grass is said to be more forgiving than pavement, and many recommend it as a better surface for learning. The reduced friction of grass can prevent some of the swerving tendencies that might lead to a dreaded ground loop. However, landing on grass still presents its own challenges, especially when the strips are small compared to practicing at large runways.
Right now, I’m still in the process of getting “transition training” to build confidence and proficiency. My instructor often has me fly from the grass strip where I keep the plane to a local airport with two large paved runways. I’ll admit, the openness of the larger airport feels reassuring. There’s no rush to get the plane down, and I can let things progress naturally. Sometimes, when returning to the grass strip, I catch myself trying to force the landing sooner than I should out of fear of overrunning the end of the runway.
Most of our time is spent at the larger airport practicing multiple landings, simulated engine outs, and crosswind techniques. These sessions have helped me feel more comfortable operating around the bigger airport, but I’m not yet 100% confident when it comes to landing back at the grass strip.
Since purchasing the airplane, there have been a few weeks when I couldn’t fly due to weather and family conflicts. Despite the downtime, I’ve managed to log just over 10 hours in this plane so far. Recently, I achieved a major milestone: I soloed at the big airport! It was both nerve-wracking and exhilarating, a huge step forward in building my confidence as a tailwheel pilot.
Thankfully, I’ve received plenty of encouragement along the way. The previous owner of my plane shared that it took him a while to feel comfortable flying solo and encouraged me to take my time and enjoy the process. “It’s worth it in the end,” he said, and I’m beginning to see what he meant.
Building confidence is a gradual process, but I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And oh man, there’s absolutely nothing like nailing a perfect wheel landing—it’s pure magic.
In this landing, we do a wheel landing at Millville Airport on runway 32. As I turn to “final”, you’ll get a nice view of Millville Speedway!
Landing on pavement is traditionally seen as more challenging than grass, as pavement is less forgiving—any lateral motion during touchdown can lead to a swerve and potentially trigger a ground loop. However, the wide, open runways at Millville give me peace of mind and make landing here much easier than at smaller grass strips. It’s the perfect spot for me to build my confidence!
In this landing, we approached runway 36 at Bucks Airport, NJ (00N) in my Cessna 140, navigating over the wires that make this airport particularly unique. These telephone wires, positioned near one end of the runway, create an obstacle that requires careful attention. After clearing the wires, my instructor had me push the nose down into a dive and then add a touch of power as we leveled off. There’s a road between the wires and the runway, and I couldn’t help but imagine the added excitement if an 18-wheeler happened to be passing by at that moment! It was a memorable experience that really emphasized precision and timing in the landing process. Bucks Airport is a wonderful grass strip with cheap fuel!
In this video, I’m starting to get some consistency with my tailwheel landings in my Cessna 140, as noted by the exclamation from my instructor at the end of the video!
