Stearman Kaydet Trainees' Communications with Instructors

[Ray921]

I understand that in the Stearman Kaydet trainers, the instructor sat in the front seat and the student in the back seat. A gosport permitted the instructor to speak to the trainee, but the trainee communicated with the instructor in the front seat by gestures. (1) Was there a mirror permitting the trainer to see the student's gestures? (2) Was the trainee's seat higher than the instructor's seat to permit the trainee to see over the trainer's head while flying the plane? (3) Would it be fair to say that trainees rarely gestured in flight or that gestures in flight were discouraged?

 

[XBe02Drvr]

I understand that in the Stearman Kaydet trainers, the instructor sat in the front seat and the student in the back seat. A gosport permitted the instructor to speak to the trainee, but the trainee communicated with the instructor in the front seat by gestures. (1) Was there a mirror permitting the trainer to see the student's gestures? (2) Was the trainee's seat higher than the instructor's seat to permit the trainee to see over the trainer's head while flying the plane? (3) Would it be fair to say that trainees rarely gestured in flight or that gestures in flight were discouraged?

I've sat in both seats of a PT17 (only the front in flight), and the cockpits are far enough apart so the front seater's head doesn't seem to affect forward visibility any more than the big round forward fuselage and radial engine. The one I experienced, configured for air rides, had the front seat set a little bit lower in the fuselage than the back, and had mirrors in the corners of the little front windshield. Being a tall guy, I could hunch down below the lip of the windshield and get out of the slipstream in front, but not in back. Love those Dave Clark noise cancelling headsets!
Like any radial engine taildragger, forward visibility is pretty poor, and on the ground, nil. You don't taxi it straight ahead, you sashay it side to side to peer ahead around the engine as you sharpen your tapdancing skills. On the approach, a slip gets that big round Continental out of the way so you can see the runway.
This one had a removable control stick in front which lived in a box inside the right side fuselage bulge. The owner installed it in front so I could get a little stick time. Us nosedragger types have to brush up on our RUDDER skills to fly a plane like that! It lets you know when your aileron - rudder coordination is bad.
Cheers,
Wes

 

[pararaftanr2]

I understand that in the Stearman Kaydet trainers, the instructor sat in the front seat and the student in the back seat. A gosport permitted the instructor to speak to the trainee, but the trainee communicated with the instructor in the front seat by gestures. (1) Was there a mirror permitting the trainer to see the student's gestures? (2) Was the trainee's seat higher than the instructor's seat to permit the trainee to see over the trainer's head while flying the plane? (3) Would it be fair to say that trainees rarely gestured in flight or that gestures in flight were discouraged?

Yes, a circular mirror, 4"-5" in diameter, was fitted in a streamlined housing, mounted under the top wing and offset to the left of the front cockpit. The trainee's seat was adjustable for height, up or down, using a lever on the right side of the seat bucket.

In the first photo below, you can see the reflective surface of the mirror. In the second (in the upper left corner), you can see the mirror fairing.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

a circular mirror, 4"-5" in diameter, was fitted in a streamlined housing, mounted under the top wing and offset to the left of the front cockpit.

I guess the one I flew in was modified, as it didn't have that circular mirror. Instead there were small mirrors in the outboard corners of the windshield wings. I think it was a resurrected crop duster turned play toy. Beautiful bird. The owner had quite an air ride business going, and he could put on a real show for riders who were into aerial athletics and he didn't charge extra for the time it took to get 'chuted up and get the bailout briefing and drill. He said an "adventurous" rider would always make his day.
Cheers,
Wes

 

[Ray921]

Thank you for the interesting replies you've taken the time to write up. In one source I read that there were mirrors on both the left and the right sides, though that source didn't give as much detail as you've given, and it's possible that mirror location was dictated by the instructor.