Taildragging For Pilots

The original configuration of an airplane's landing gear was tail wheel. Only during 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.

In "An Aviator's Field Guide to Tailwheel Flying," author Jason Blair shares his experience in a variety of tailwheel-equipped aircraft. This book describes major phases of flight and considerations that transitioning or tailwheel pilots may find useful as they look to increase their proficiency. The discussion goes beyond the physical flying skills into other tailwheel aspects, such as operational differences in makes and models and ages of aircraft. Pilots of aircraft such as Cessna 180s, Cubs, Champs, Maules or other aircraft of similar type and size will find this content helpful. This book is the author's result of years of instructing and taking notes previously passed on to his own students, now compiled and shared with the broader aviation community.

This book deals with flying the conventional gear airplane in a safe and pleasurable manner. It covers every aspect of taildragger operation from aerodynamics maintenance and preflight, to normal operations, to operations in unusual or adverse conditions. Many photos and drawings show a pilots perspective from the cockpit of various maneuvers. As the author's experience is in back country and mountain flying, this is an excellent book for those whose taildragger operations will likely include bush type flying.

This book puts the reader in the pilot's seat for a "day at the office" unlike any other. The Smell of Kerosene tells the dramatic story of a NASA research pilot who logged over 11,000 flight hours in more than 125 types of aircraft. Donald Mallick gives the reader fascinating first-hand description of his early naval flight training, carrier operations, and his research flying career with NASA. After transferring to the NASA Flight Research Center, Mallick became involved with projects that further pushed the boundaries of aerospace technology. These included the giant delta-winged XB-70 supersonic airplane, the wingless M2-F1 lifting body vehicle, and triple-sonic YF-12 Blackbird. Mallick also test flew the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle and helped develop techniques used in training astronauts to land on the Moon.