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How to Make a 3-Point Landing in a Tailwheel Airplane

Making a 3-point landing in a tailwheel airplane is the most challenging part of flying a "taildragger." It requires carefully managing air speed, constant attention to the rudder and the position of the tail, actively working to keep the airplane straight throughout the landing and roll out, and, often, reduced forward visibility once the tail settles to the ground. Here's how to do it right.

Instructions

- 1
  Pay careful attention to wind direction and speed when preparing to land a taildragger. It is much less tolerant of pilot error or inattentiveness than a tricycle geared airplane. Check wind indicators on the airfield or control tower before setting it down to avoid a groundloop, or uncontrolled turn, during the landing.
- 2
  Maintain a light, loose, but active control of the rudder pedals all the way through landing and roll out. The most common error is to relax on the rudder when the plane touches down, but if you do that in a taildragger, the tail will wander and the plane could easily swap ends on the runway.
- 3
  Realize that a 3-point landing is slower and softer than a 2-point landing. Also, the roll out is shorter. The downside of this is that, with the nose up, it may be harder to see ahead. This makes it even more important to keep the plane straight as it rolls along the runway, so you don't hit any unseen obstacles along the sides of the landing area.

Aviation