Greetings from Canada

Greetings from Canada

Postby Sonex1384 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:57 pm

Hello. My name is Louis Charest and I live in Alberta, Canada. I've been flying my Jabiru 3300 powered Sonex tailwheel since 2012. I only managed to put about 187 hours on it so far but in my defence I was distracted with a second plane (Rans S7 "Short Tail" Courier) for a year or so. I currently have a Recreational Pilot Permit (RPP). I was upgrading to a PPL at one time but when I discovered how difficult it was to find a plane to rent in my area I decided to build one and that's when I discovered the Sonex. With time and money limited I ordered my Sonex kit having never seen one in person and put my flight training on hold. Two years later I was flying my first homebuilt. I've really enjoyed this plane though being a little bit too well fed I do find the payload a little limiting with a passenger on any kind of longer cross country. It's luggage or fuel and fuel usually wins.

I don't usually post much but I've been toying with the idea of trying to make it to Oshkosh this year and it brought to mind some questions. First of all I know my RPP is a Canada only permit and I'm planning on upgrading soon. A question did cross my mind yesterday though and I'm not sure if anyone here would have an answer or not. We do not have such a thing as a tailwheel endorsement in Canada and frankly the last tricycle I flew was during my primary training but I started wondering if, as a Canadian pilot flying into the US, do I need to get an endorsement? That's just one of the strange questions that pop into my mind as I think about making the trip. I'm a low time pilot with little long cross country time let alone cross border flight. I blame it on work and weather. :-D
Sonex1384
 
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Re: Greetings from Canada

Postby wlarson861 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:33 pm

I can,t answer definitively as to an out of country license; however I have a taildragger Sonex but have no special endorsement for tail wheel. I began flying in the early 80's and bought a Luscombe 8-A while still a student. I flew it over 100 hours. When I resumed flying in 2006 my instructor said I was "grandfathered" as far as needing an actual endorsement. Hopefully one of the CFI's will chime in here. I would think if you are legal in Canada you would be ok here.
Bill Larson
N861SX
Sonex, polished, tail wheel, Generation 4 Jabiru 3300
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Re: Greetings from Canada

Postby Gordon » Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:59 pm

Canadian Questions............?

Louis Charest.........I wouldn't worry too much about a tail wheel endorsement when flying into the U.S. I have flew there many times in my RV-6 over the years. There are many things (rules and regulations eg: border crossing...customs) to worry about, but a tail wheel endorsement is certainly is not one of them. I live in the east, Kitchener, Ontario and am building a Onex.

You should contact Ian Brown in High River, Alberta.....EAA chapter 1410 and he can answer all your questions or can put you onto someone who can......like maybe Jack Dyck. Both these guys have flown into Oshkosh as have I....twice with my RV-6. It is a tremendous experience that we all should do at least ONCE.

Gordon......Onex........Hummel 2400
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Re: Greetings from Canada

Postby Sonex1384 » Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:02 pm

Thanks for the replies. I didn't really think there would be a problem with the tailwheel thing. Just one of those things I suddenly got curious about. Too much thinking about flying and not enough flying. I've been pretty much grounded for nearly four months now. It seems every day I get off the weather sucks. My supportive flying friends keep checking if I'm working so they know if it'll be a good day to go flying. With friends like these .... :-D

Anyway I agree that it would be good to make Oshkosh at least once and hope this'll be the year. Lots to do first. Definitely need to polish the plane. That hasn't been done since it first flew. Hmm. Guess I better renew that passport. Thanks again.
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Re: Greetings from Canada

Postby davion » Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:54 pm

Howdy! Sounds you got good projects there.
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