The original configuration of an airplane's landing gear was tail wheel. Only during the World War II did the nose wheel become common as longer runways were required to take off with the heavy loads. After the war, the tricycle landing gear layout became standard, although the traditional arrangement has always been known as "conventional" gear.

The tail wheel configuration is lighter, simpler and offers less drag. It is also better for rough-field operations. Therefore many crop dusters, aerobatic airplanes and ultralights are taildraggers. However, conventional gear does introduce more demands on the pilot, especially during takeoff and landing, and in strong winds. A taildragger is more difficult to operate on the ground because the center the gravity is behind the main wheels -- therefore it tends to deviate from a straight path during taxi, takeoff and landing. Because taildraggers demand more piloting skill, flying one well is a sign of a good pilot.

If you want to fly a warbird, antique or a modern airplane with conventional gear, this book tells you how in a simple, clearly illustrated way. It begins with the theory and dynamics of a tail wheel airplane and then describes the piloting techniques needed to safely fly a taildragger. The book concludes with a fascinating collection of stories about what it is like to fly some of the common and not so common airplanes with conventional gear -- stories by old hands that otherwise could only be found in a good session of hanger flying.

Chapters:

1. The Tail Wheel Airplane
2. Ground and Flight Dynamics
3. Ground Operations
4. Normal Takeoff
5. Approach and Landing
6. Advanced Takeoffs and Landings
7. Low Flying
8. Austers by Peter Whellum
9. Avions Mudry CAP 10B By David Robson
10. Austflight Drifter by David Robson
11. Bellanca Citabria/Decathlon By John Freeman and David Robson
12. Cessna 185 Skywagon By John Freeman
13. CAC CA-25 Winjeel (little Eagle) By David Robson
14. DeHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk By David Robson
15. DeHavilland DHA-3 Drover By David Robson
16. DeHavilland D.H.82 Tiger Moth By John Freeman
17. Douglas DC-3 (Dakota) By Captain Don Hutchison
18. GAF Avro Lincoln (Long-Nose) By John Laming
19. Hawker Sea Fury By John Lamign
20. Piper Pawnee By John Freeman
21. Pitts Special By David Pilkington
22. Slepcev Storch By David Robson
23. Southern Cross Replica By Captain Tom Russel

Softcover, Indexed

About the Author: David Robson has been flying taildraggers for more than forty years. He first learned to fly in the de Havilland Chipmunk, Dakota and Twin Pioneer and the Australian Air Force CAC Winjeel. He continued to fly the Winjeel throughout his career as a fighter pilot and FAC. As a test pilot, he flew the Chimpmunk, Dakota and Twin Pioneer. After leaving the air force he became a flight instructor and spent time teaching spinning, aerobatics and landings in the Citabria and Decathlon. He also instructed in the Moth, Aeronca, Beech Staggerwing and the wonderful Drover. He completed John Freeman's low-level safety course in the Cessna 185. More recently, as development manager of the Australian Aviation College, where he regularly taught aerobatics and tail wheel operations, he introduced the CAP 10B to Australia. In the past two years he has been introduced to ultralights, flying the Drifter and the Storch. One day he would love to fly what is, for him, the ultimate taildragger: the A-1 Skyraider.