"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...

The insurance for a tailwheel vs. similar nosewheel is amost as much
more as a retract vs. fixed gear. That should tell you something about
the rate of low time pilots putting tailwheels in the maintenance
shop.

It never ceases to amaze me the stupid things seemingly sesnible people to.
Especially you EAA types. Three of these morons, all in their 60's and zero
TW time, each decided to build a tail wheel plane. The first contestant
decided to build an experimental version of a Piper Vagabond. He
groundlooped on his high speed taxi test, three times. He ground loops on
takeoff, on landing, ****, just getting in the damn thing. He has
groundlooped at least a dozen times. Got so damn funny somebody took a
screw gun and and screwed a set of training wheels off their kids bike onto
the wingtips. Somehow he has managed to only scrape the wing and not really
bend anything important. Second guy actually built a good performing
airplane. He built an experimental version of a PA-18. Took him exactly
two flights to end up on his nose. Minor damage to the prop and a new
spinner and he was good to go. Third moron, with thousands of hours in Navy
fighters and bombers and quite a few in a Mooney, decided to build a Kitfox.
This guy puts a full gyro panel in a Kitfox. Oh yeah he also put in an air
horn. You heard me, an airhorn, just like a semi. Two batteries and a
cargo pod later he is 50 pounds overgross with full tanks and just him in
the plane. 65 HP Rotax. With no wind he needs 2400 feet to get this crate
off the ground. Won't leave the ground until it gets to 50 MPH IAS. Max
cruise turns out to be 70 MPH IAS. Climbs at 300 fpm if he is lucky, needds
full forward stick just to stay airborne. Has a set of amphibs that were
supposed to be mounted. Never got the chance. Last Sunday he lost his
engine and landed with a 25 knot tailwind. Totally destroyed. He walked
away. He broke his back but he walked away. I look at these EAA guys and
it's clear the absolute worst thing that can happen is they actually finish
their plane.