Learning to fly tailwheel aircraft challenges pilots in ways modern tricycle gear aircraft rarely do. In this podcast, Jason Schappert shares personal experience, accident data, and hard-earned lessons from tailwheel flying. He explains why tailwheel training demands constant focus, discipline, and respect for fundamentals. For more information on tailwheels, feel free to consult the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Why Learning to Fly Tailwheel Builds Real Skill
Learning to fly tailwheel aircraft strips flying down to pure stick and rudder control. Jason explains that tailwheel flying is not something you ever truly master. It requires ongoing practice and humility. He earned his tailwheel endorsement over a decade ago in a Piper Vagabond, an aircraft known for its short tail moment arm and challenging ground handling.
Tailwheel aircraft react quickly to yaw and side loading. Small mistakes on landing can escalate fast. Jason explains how shorter tail designs make ground loops easier to trigger. A ground loop occurs when the tail swings ahead of the nose, often causing abrupt rotation and wing damage. These aircraft demand constant attention from touchdown through taxi.
Unlike tricycle gear aircraft, tailwheel airplanes do not forgive complacency. Pilots must actively fly the airplane until it stops moving. This requirement forces better habits, sharper awareness, and stronger fundamentals that carry into all other flying.
Training Expectations When Learning to Fly Tailwheel
Learning to fly tailwheel aircraft involves an endorsement rather than a rating. There is no FAA-mandated hour requirement. The instructor signs off once proficiency is demonstrated. Jason explains that while some instructors sign pilots off in three to five hours, that time often falls short.
Most tailwheel training turns into intensive traffic pattern work. Pilots repeat takeoffs and landings to develop directional control and timing. Taxiing also plays a major role. Limited forward visibility requires S-turns and constant scanning. Jason shares an example of a tailwheel aircraft striking another airplane during taxi because the pilot lost awareness.
Jason also shares a personal incident involving a crosswind landing. A handheld radio fell and jammed the control stick during final approach. The distraction increased stress and reduced margins. The experience reinforced his conservative approach to wind limits and currency.
Risk, Data, and Staying Proficient
Jason references data from the Joseph T. Nall Report to explain tailwheel accident trends. In 2019, more than 40 percent of landing accidents in single-engine fixed-gear aircraft involved tailwheel airplanes. Most incidents were non-fatal but costly, often involving runway excursions or ground loops.
The takeaway is not fear. The takeaway is discipline. Tailwheel flying remains inherently safe when pilots stay current and proficient. Jason emphasizes that tailwheel flying reflects how aviation began. It demands judgment, patience, and continuous learning.
Pilots considering tailwheel training should treat it as a long-term commitment, not a weekend activity. The Federal Aviation Administration provides safety guidance and training resources that support tailwheel proficiency and accident prevention.
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