Builders are Dan and Daniel Hedge
First flight 7/22/07. Currently have flown it 230 hours.
Daniel's freehand sketch and story 1998
Ever had the feeling you always have a headwind-both ways? Well, my dad and I
intend to always have a tailwind, Wittman Tailwind that is.
The Tailwind was
designed by legendary air racing pilot Steve Wittman. It was a refinement of
several earlier planes such as Buttercup and the Flying Carpet. The Flying
Carpet was first flown in 1953 and was the first homebuilt certified by the CAA
to carry non-revenue passengers, thus the current homebuilt movement was born.
By the mid-fifties the name had become Tailwind.
The Tailwind is a
small, fast, high wing airplane with two place side-by-side seating. It consists
of a steel tube fuselage and wood wings. The landing gear utilizes a tapered
rod, spring steel arrangement designed by Steve himself. Engines typically range
from 100 to 160 horsepower.
How did we decide
to start building a Tailwind, you might ask. Dad has had a desire to build
something for many years and even took a one-year welding course in 1983 just
for this purpose. For some strange reason, I have also been plane-nuts for a
long time too. I built and also designed some radio-controlled planes a few
years ago. Dad joked that as much as they cost to build, we should’ve made the
real thing. Then one day in 1998, the Sport Aviation magazine came in the mail
with Jim Clements award-winning Tailwind on the cover. Here was a reasonably
inexpensive plane to build and operate along with mostly simple construction.
We ordered plans and received them in August 1998 and began the building
process.
This has been a
tremendous learning experience as well as a lot of fun. Maybe in a few years I
will be speeding through the skies in my own creation.
If you see us
going somewhere, just get behind us cause you can bet WE will always have a
TAILWIND.
EAA Chapter 868
|
