G'Day Tony,

A couple of weeks ago you helped me with some advice on wheel landings in my Chief. I shot you a quick thank you email then.

Now that I have had a couple of weeks to practice, and cement the technique, I wanted to take the time for a fuller response.

From a start point where I was completely unable to successfully wheel land, your advice has enabled me to consistently and accurately wheel land whenever I choose.

The instructor who had carried out my tail wheel training had been unable to achieve that. Under our rules here in Australia he was able to write me a tailwheel endorsement without me being able to wheel land. So he did that, and sent me off with the recommendation that I find another instructor closer to home who could spend more time with me.

As it turns out, the instructor was a long way further away. You, in the US.

Your email evaluation of my technique pinpointed what I was not doing correctly. Your recommendation on what I needed to do was spot on. My practice since then has cemented the technique so that I no longer fear trying to wheel land. 

Let me add that your perceptive comments about how to fly the pattern took care of another problem that I didn't even know I had. My approaches were not really stable, so I was behind the aircraft before I even got onto final.

To sum it up: Your email assistance was better than an instructor in the cockpit with me.

Would you please email me your address. I know you freely provide email advice simply to assist others to enjoy flying tailwheel aircraft. But I would like to send you a check for an hour of instructor time. It was worth every penny.

Cheers

Peter Lapthorne,
BGA Field Service Engineering
Melbourne, Australia