Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Greetings,

I am a 29 year old gyroplane pilot w/ a fresh FW PPL. I have been flying for 6 years and 500+ hours in gyroplanes and 50 or so hours in FW including a couple in a Citabria (no TW endorsement). I want to purchase my own plane that can take my wife and I to see family around the Midwest and also just pleasure fly. I looked at RV's and similar higher performance taildraggers and want to know how much of a handful are the Thorps to transition in to? I fly a very high performance gyroplane and fly what can be considered aerobatics for the aircraft. We have the same hype in our community that says you can't fly a certain gyro or its not a beginner gyro and it all depends on your natural ability and most of the time it just means it takes a little more training to do.... My question are:

Is the Thorp too much of an airplane for your first plane? (I ask because i would rather not buy a slow docile dog of a plane to learn in knowing its not what I would like to fly)

How long is an expected transition training course for a Thorp owner?

BTW check out how us fling wings like to fly here:
(this is me and my previous and current machine) A real flying lawnchair!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st9j4dV8Eyk[/youtube]


and

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi5Mf2Gzx8E[/youtube]

There have been several people out there who transitioned into the Thorp early in their flying experience. Even some who did their flight training in Thorps.

I can think of one guy right now who owns a T-18 and still has his student certificate. In fact I've flown with him and he does a fine job flying the airplane.

The T-18 is not a squirrely airplane at all. It's as honest an airplane as you will find, things just happen a little faster at times.

You have 500+ hours of flying experince ... regardless of what it's in that says alot. I should think you'll find the T-18 a breeze.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

There are two thoughts that always come to mind when talking to people about transitioning to a T-18.

1. If I can do it, any able bodied, level headed knucklehead can. (150 hr tri gear renter pilot prior to T-18)
2. Everyone learns at a different pace with different capabilities, egos, and levels of common sense.

Only you know your true abilities.

_________________
Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

I got to get me one of them there knucklehead ratings ! [:p]

RB