Taildragger question

LDB

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When landing a taildragger is there ever a time when the rear wheel would touch down first? I've never flown one and rarely seen them but I believe the front wheels touch down and when enough speed is lost forward pressure can no longer keep the tail up and then the rear wheel touches down. Asking because of a book I am reading. Thanks.
 
Yes, when you're about to have a really bad landing. If you land on the tail wheel first, you are likely to bounce or balloon, then bounce.
Thanks. I guess I should have more clearly specified a proper and good landing. That's what I thought. The book I'm reading has a plane coming in that flares so the rear wheel can touch down first. It needs a good flying expert to edit the various plane/flying segments.
 
There are plenty of times when the tailwheel would touch first, but it is application specific. A DC-3 touching tailwheel first would be really ugly but a Husky landing short field, tailwheel first would be preferred. If the decent rate is proper, landing tailwheel first decreases the angle of attack and the airplane stopes flying. High decent rate and you 'bounce' without the energy to properly correct. So, there is no definitive broad answer but in some cases it works well.
 
Many taildraggers give you the option of a 3-point or a wheel landing.

A 3-point means all 3 wheels touch down at the same time. It means flying a tad slower on touchdown with more angle of attack (nose-up attitude). If you are a bit too slow on a 3-pointer then the tailwheel will touch first. This can range from no big deal if it's very slight/gentle, to damaging the tail wheel and bouncing, where you'd punch in power, go around, and try it again. Depending on the airplane and conditions.

A wheel landing means you touch down the main wheels only, then gently lower the tail as you roll out on the main wheels. It means flying at touchdown with less angle of attack. Just as the main wheels touch down, you apply a tad of forward pressure to the stick to hold them down, but no more than necessary because you don't want to slam it down and bounce. Then you gradually reduce that pressure and bring the tailwheel down.

In both kinds of landings, your feet are busy on the rudder pedals keeping the airplane pointed forward because the weight is behind you and wants to swing around as you slow down. Similar to oversteer in a car, if you let it develop before correcting it, it's too late. You have to sense and correct it before it develops, so it's a constant back and forth of small quick inputs.

Which to use (3-pointer or wheel) depends on the airplane and the conditions. For example, in the Cessna 170s that I have flown, I would do 3-pointers under most conditions, but wheel landings in stiffer crosswinds as it gives you better lateral control. With other airplanes, a wheel landing is standard under most conditions. One of the things my instructor did when I was earning my taildragger endorsement was pull power on the downwind leg, say "you just lost your engine". I'd maneuver to do a power-off 180, and on short final he'd tell me whether to do a 3-point or wheel landing.

PS: more on this topic: https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/technique/tailwheel-landing-battle-three-point-or-wheel/
 
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Thanks everyone for the great answers. It gives me a better grasp for what I was reading. My only experience, decades ago, was with tricycle gear Cessnas and one ride in my cousin's taildragger that I can't identify by model. I couldn't see anything over the cowl so didn't care too much for takeoff or landing.
 
... I couldn't see anything over the cowl so didn't care too much for takeoff or landing.
Some tailwheel aircraft are worse than others in that regard. When taxi-ing on the ground, the attitude or view forward out the windshield is the same as what you want to see when landing a 3-pointer. With the 170 the nose wasn't very high and the forward view was clear. But other taildraggers can be so nose high that you can't see anything directly in front of you. When taxi-ing you have to make S-turns for visibility. When landing you have to look out the lower side corner of the windshield instead of straight forward. That's sometimes called the "Lindbergh Reference".
 

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