Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's

The challenges and rewards of taildraggers, with Damian DelGaizo

May 5, 2026·40 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Tailwheel airplanes demand excellent situational awareness and sharp manual flying skills, two things that modern pilots often lack according to taildragger expert Damian DelGaizo. The longtime flight school owner, who learned from an aviation legend, talks about the finer points of three-point landings, wheel landings, and Piper Cubs. He also explains why a touch pass is important for evaluating grass runways and why you might have to carry a garbage bag full of rocks when flying skiplanes. In the Ready to Copy segment, Damian talks about dancing on the rudder pedals, how to fly with heel brakes, and teaching Harrison Ford to fly taildraggers.SHOW LINKS:* Tailwheel 101 videos:https://youtu.be/4mPmculCxkA* Andover Flight Academy: https://www.andoverflight.com/* PJ2 GPS Radio: https://sportys.com/PJ2GPS

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