I have been looking into various training opportunities in my area for a new hobby. (Like I really need another one) An interesting consideration is that a CFI is avail just 5 miles from my house, and where I live it takes 45 minutes to go get a gallon of milk, so it is rare to have this kind of resource. He has a private 2600' grass strip and builds/flys tail draggers, but I've seen nose gear planes like Cessna 172s and such flying around too. So is it realistic to consider flight lessons on turf, or is that more of a specialty for seasoned pilots? I've been in several float planes that really did not seem like it was much different for the pilot that a hard runway, but never on a grass runway. Anything I should know to ask before I see this guy again that would be different from the airport based instructors? The field: http://www.airnav.com/airport/40IN Thanks
Sure, people used to learn on grass strips all the time, so why not?! Also, learning in a taildragger will quickly teach you some things that need to be learned that are not as apparent in most tricycle trainers. A little more work up front, maybe, but IMHO a good skill set to develop from day one. I often wish I had done it that way. Do it! It will be fun and close to the roots!
Landing on grass is no big deal assuming the field is kept in good shape. He will teach you any idiosyncracies that you will need to know. Typically grass fields are surrounded by trees and you can get an abrupt change in wind speed and direction as you decend below the tree line so you need to be on your toes.
Not to put anybody down but I learned to fly on grass and flew on grass most of the time thereafter. In the beginning I didn't have brakes or tailwheel, no radio, and I didn't know the difference. I learned not to run into the hangar or anything else by planning ahead and applying a ground loop if necessary (did that sometimes only when taxiing downwind to slow down). Grass is good.
