Tail-low Wheel Landing

Photo Credit Grant Bisset

I felt that this landing technique deserved it's own page.

The usual landing technique used in the back-country is referred to as a "tail-low wheeler". Actually once it is perfected, most pilots of tail-wheel aircraft use the technique for most landings.

A Tail-low Wheel Landing offers the following advantages:

1. keeps the tail just above the ground clear of the rocks and bumps.

2. keeps the tail-plane further from airborne rocks and debris.

3. increases visibility over the nose.

4. allows the large main wheel shock struts to soak up the bumps.

5. reduces the chance of tail-wheel shimmy.

6. keeps the CG from moving too far forward over the main wheels during the landing roll.

Perfecting the Tail-low Wheeler took me some time. The easiest way I found to learn is to fly a normal approach into a 3 point landing. Once the aircraft touches down I then moved the control-stick forward to lift the tail-wheel just clear of the ground.

After a lot of practice I was able to flare the aircraft, and just as it feels like the tail-wheel is about to touch down first, I check the control stick forward slightly. At this point, due to the low airspeed, the aircraft is about to land, and checking forward also reduces the angle of attack.

This results in the aircraft touching down at minimum speed, on the main wheels.