Bay I
The Taildragger
Conventional gear · fabric over tube
Three-point landing
Two wheels up front, one under the tail — and a center of gravity that sits behind the mains.
Spooling up…
- 1Steerable tailwheel
- 2Mains, forward of CG
Data plate
- Gear
- Conventional (tailwheel)
- Ground attitude
- Nose-high, tail down
- Landing
- Three-point or wheel
- To act as PIC
- Tailwheel endorsement · 61.31(i)
Pilot’s notes
Because the center of gravity is aft of the main wheels, any swerve on the ground tends to tighten rather than damp itself — the origin of the ground loop, and the reason your feet never stop flying a taildragger until the chocks are in. Held off in the three-point attitude the wing meets the runway at very nearly its stalling angle, so it stops flying at the instant the wheels touch.
Airmanship · watch for
Ground loop
Let the tail get ahead of you in a crosswind and the airplane pivots on its mains — caught early with rudder and a stab of brake, it stays a swerve instead of a spin.
Take it further
Read the deeper logbook guides, compare vetted gear, or carry it as original merch in the shop.