Tailwheel Training by HB Air
Where Many Pilots Discover Tailwheel Flying
For Henry, tailwheel flying has never been a niche. He learned on aircraft like the Piper Super Cub, where tailwheels were simply part of everyday flying. That experience still shapes the way training works at HB Air today. Many pilots arrive in Mengen because they have seen videos, heard stories or simply want to try something different. Some already have hundreds of hours in nosewheel aircraft. Others have just earned their licence. What they all discover is that tailwheel flying is much more approachable than they expected.
Relax, Don't Fight the Airplane
One thing Henry repeats throughout the training is simple: stay relaxed. Many pilots try to control a tailwheel aircraft with force. They grip the controls too tightly, overcorrect and create problems that weren't there in the first place. "The more relaxed you are, the easier these airplanes fly." At HB Air, students learn through repetition. Mengen offers ideal conditions for this, with short traffic patterns and plenty of opportunities to practise. Within a single session, pilots can experience more takeoffs and landings than they might normally fly in several weeks.
"The more relaxed you are, the easier these airplanes fly."
Learning Beyond the Endorsement
For Henry, the goal isn't simply collecting another sign-off in your logbook. Tailwheel training is about improving your flying as a whole. Students learn to coordinate better with the rudder, pay attention to the slip indicator and develop a feel for the aircraft that often gets lost in more forgiving nosewheel airplanes. There is no fixed number of hours that defines success. Some pilots need more time, others less.
A Different Atmosphere
Many pilots describe HB Air as the kind of flying community they had hoped to find from the beginning. There are no club politics, no unnecessary barriers and no pressure. Pilots are encouraged to ask questions, keep learning and continue building their skills long after receiving their licence. Some come back for mountain flying. Others for aerobatics or simply because they enjoy spending time around people who genuinely love aviation. For Henry, that's what flying should be about: good aircraft, good people and the freedom to keep learning.
