To be an effective taildragger pilot you must be proactive. You want happy feet, light and loose, all the way through takeoff and landing. Unfortunately, too many pilots just sit there, like a bump on a log, with their feet firmly braced against the rudder pedals, just waiting for the airplane to do something, so they can respond.
Lets talk landings, what are you looking for in a taildragger, a three pointer! That's right, you want all three wheels to touch the ground at the same "coordinated" time, with minimum speed. This means, once committed to the landing roll, you've got to keep backpressure on the controls, which will provide the positive control needed for an effective rudder, while your happy feet keep the plane center of the runway. Note: Two things are required to land an airplane effectively, precise speed management & timing the flare. Ref: The Complete Taildragger Pilot, by Harvey S. Plourde Ref: www.airbum.com/articles/ArticleTailwheelTraining.html Regards, Larry A Capps Naperville, IL
