Crosswind tailwheel advice needed..

[Huckster79]

I’m still a new TW pilot, and I find myself digressed a bit since I was flying with my instructor for endorsement in terms of crosswinds, in this way:

New bad habit of seemingly wanting to neutralize all controls as I get in the three point attitude besides pitch.. I’ve been pondering the “why” I’m doing this, I believe as I think with all the focus on footwork to keep her straight my subconscious is thinking with decent rudder deflection at touchdown my TW will be cocked that much too, so I want to set down with neutral rudder so TW is straight, therefore taking out the aileron quickly becomes necessary, but now you have a TW plane about to touch down configured as if it was wind nueteral landing..

One of my instructors and I talked and were gunna go out and practice them together soon.

Any thoughts on how to break this thought pattern? As I know consciously the right steps but my brain seems to be fighting it to become muscle memory.. if that makes any sense

 

[Bill Watson]

Sounds like you are thinking about the tailwheel being fixed to the rudder so if you land with the rudder deflected, the tailwheel will be deflected.

My tailwheel experience is limited to a couple thousand hours in a Maule. I’m not sure exactly what goes on back there in a crosswind situation but with the Maule tailwheel there are springs and a ‘break away’ feature. I’m not sure exactly what happens in that situation but believe the springs allow to the wheel to align itself as needed when there is a minor misalignment. The tailwheel only ‘breaks away’ in tight taxiing operations.

Clearly I don’t know exactly what happens back there but I know you don’t need to worry about it. Keep flying it to keep it straight even after you do a 3 point touchdown (in the Maule, all ‘normal’ landings were 3 pointers - wheelies were an advanced but unneeded technique)

Learn it and Have Fun!


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[BillTIZ]

A few landings at max crosswind limits will convince you to not relax on the controls until it’s tied down.
17 to 20 knots 90 degrees to the runway should do it.

 

[RyanShort1]

I may have my wires crossed on what you are putting into text, but it kinda sounds to me like your problem is that you are "trying" to land instead of flying your plane. There IS a difference. Try "not landing" all the way as far down the runway as you can go and still make a safe go-around point and as low as you can keep the wheels from touching down.

 

[Dana]

I've always done wheel landings in strong or gusty crosswinds, but either way, the springs should let the tailwheel track straight even if the rudder is deflected.

 

[alfadog]

Why in the world are you trying to land "3-points" in a strong xwind. I don't mean use wheelies though that is obviously an option. I mean land on the upwind main and the tailwheel. Don't try to "flatten" the a/c at touchdown.

 

[manac]

Remember during landing the rudder will have more control authority than the tail wheel at first. Not sure when the crossover is (in air speed) but it’s pretty slow.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Don’t worry about what the tailwheel is doing...apply proper crosswind technique, and the tailwheel will follow you.

 

[Bill Watson]

Remember during landing the rudder will have more control authority than the tail wheel at first. Not sure when the crossover is (in air speed) but it’s pretty slow.

I once unknowingly landed with one tail wheel spring busted. Conditions were benign but as I rolled out the plane slowly turned towards the weeds. I recall steadily increasing rudder deflection as it turned (no brakes yet) but not understanding what was causing the turn.

It showed me just how much rudder authority remained long after the wing stopped lifting. I finally got on the brakes hoping to stop but of course regained a great deal of turning authority when I did.




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[Juliet Hotel]

I believe as I think with all the focus on footwork to keep her straight my subconscious is thinking with decent rudder deflection at touchdown my TW will be cocked that much too, so I want to set down with neutral rudder so TW is straight,

You MUST let go of this belief. Alignment of the tailwheel during touchdown of the tail is not an issue. Place the controls where they need to be for proper control of the plane. The tailwheel (during that phase of flight) will take care of itself.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Dunno that I ever tried to get the tailwheel straight before touchdown.
Two things you want to happen: Nose pointed at the far end of the runway, and not moving sideways. That can mean some aggressive use of the ailerons, and do whatever you have to with the rudder to keep it pointed in the right direction. Inertia trumps that itty bitty wheel in the back. It ain't like you got one of them nosewheel things to screw you up.
Depending on the airplane and the pilot, wheel landings may be a good choice. A little more speed reduces the effect of the crosswind just a bit, but most of all, you have solid control in all axes. The tricky bit is when you need to set the tail down - if you have nice progressive brakes (Cleveland and Matco disks have worked well for me) - great, use them. If you have grabby pos brakes, probably better to three point.

Edit: I see a 120/140 in the picture - the OEM GrabYear brakes fall into the pos catagory.
I flew a '46 120 with the Cleveland Disks (installed after the old man put it up on it's nose with mom in the right seat ), and wheelies were my go to method for purd near all landings. Just plain freeking easy.

 

[GeorgeC]

Another new 120/140 guy, <100 hours tw. I too prefer wheel landings.

Only move the yoke if you're trying to fix something. Picture look right? DFWI.

Note that the opposite problem can happen as well; after touchdown, if you overzealously roll in your crosswind correction to the stops, you can get some lively adverse yaw effects.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Note that the opposite problem can happen as well; after touchdown, if you overzealously roll in your crosswind correction to the stops, you can get some lively adverse yaw effects.

Also note that the adverse use can save you...if you run out of rudder, aileron into the wind and/or ground loop (!) can provide enough additional use to save the airplane.

 

[RoscoeT]

Also note that the adverse use can save you...if you run out of rudder, aileron into the wind and/or ground loop (!) can provide enough additional use to save the airplane.

IMO this is a dubious claim, generally speaking. Adverse yaw is a very small force even in antique classic airplanes. If you have run out of tailwheel steering, rudder, and have already used prop blast and differential brake to correct a swerve to no avail, don't count on a tiny bit of adverse yaw from the ailerons to bail you out. Most ground loops happen at speeds low enough for the ailerons to be very ineffective and would be useless to try in this manner. Not something we generally need to teach tailwheel pilots to try to do IMO. There are much more important things they could be doing than using aileron like this. If things have hit the fan so bad that you've tried everything and are hoping for some adverse yaw to save you, then you are probably headed off the runway and better off just letting the airplane come around at this point.

Maybe your point is valid if you're flying a WWI biplane with no brakes, a tail skid, and an on-off rotary engine. Doesn't apply to most.

 

[iamtheari]

I am a wheel landing weenie. I've never three-pointed the Champ and I rarely do it in the Cub other than when I'm trying to improve my equally sad short-field landings. When there is any kind of gusts going on, I do not even think about three-point landings. We rarely have anything but a gusty wind here, so that probably accounts for my comfort level leaning toward wheel landings.

That being said, on top of all the good advice above about not worrying about the tailwheel because the springs and break-free (which most small planes have) will take care of it for you, let's do a thought experiment: If the tailwheel were attached to the rudder with a rigid link instead of springs and you touch down hard with it cranked sideways, you might break the tailwheel assembly. But if you start drifting sideways just before or just after touchdown because you straightened the rudder out, you will probably ground-loop the plane and break the main landing gear, possibly drag a wing, and possibly have a prop strike that results in a new propeller and an engine tear-down. I would go with Door #1 and break the tailwheel long before I open Door #2 and do something almost intended to cause a ground-loop.

From my limited tailwheel hours in a limited number of types, I will tell you this: You are over-thinking it. I know that because the same thing happens to me. Every time I come in and think about a three-point landing, my brain overrides the airplane and I consciously change my mind to a wheel landing. Every good three-point landing I have experienced was accompanied with minimal thinking to get in the way of flying.

 

[texasclouds]

 

[RyanShort1]

I am a wheel landing weenie. I've never three-pointed the Champ and I rarely do it in the Cub other than when I'm trying to improve my equally sad short-field landings. When there is any kind of gusts going on, I do not even think about three-point landings. We rarely have anything but a gusty wind here, so that probably accounts for my comfort level leaning toward wheel landings.

ALL of my crosswind landings with gusts and a good crosswind component in the Citabria last week were three-pointers. I'd feel I'd done a student a dis-service if they weren't comfortable with them.

 

[MauleSkinner]

IMO this is a dubious claim, generally speaking. Adverse yaw is a very small force even in antique classic airplanes. If you have run out of tailwheel steering, rudder, and have already used prop blast and differential brake to correct a swerve to no avail, don't count on a tiny bit of adverse yaw from the ailerons to bail you out. Most ground loops happen at speeds low enough for the ailerons to be very ineffective and would be useless to try in this manner. Not something we generally need to teach tailwheel pilots to try to do IMO. There are much more important things they could be doing than using aileron like this. If things have hit the fan so bad that you've tried everything and are hoping for some adverse yaw to save you, then you are probably headed off the runway and better off just letting the airplane come around at this point.

Maybe your point is valid if you're flying a WWI biplane with no brakes, a tail skid, and an on-off rotary engine. Doesn't apply to most.

My experience is that it can be a significant help.

Whether or not to teach it, well, it depends. Any tool in the toolbox can be useful, but especially when dealing with newbies, the number of tools to choose from can get overwhelming, so discretion may be advised for the reasons you state.

On the other hand, having given my share of tailwheel instruction without brakes on my side, I’ll take anything I can use.

 

[RoscoeT]

My experience is that it can be a significant help.

Fair enough, mine is just different. I've had folks try to dart off the runway in airplanes with worthless brakes and it was throttle and rudder that quickly gathered it up. Aileron would have done practically nothing. Yes adverse yaw is a force, so you might as well use all the help you can get, but it's a very marginal force. I've never flown an airplane where a quick throttle blast with rudder (or brake if they are actually effective) was not at least ten times more effective than adverse yaw.

It's just about like trying to steer a motorcycle simply by leaning your body. It's a very small slow turning force.

 

[farky]

I’m still a new TW pilot, and I find myself digressed a bit since I was flying with my instructor for endorsement in terms of crosswinds, in this way:

New bad habit of seemingly wanting to neutralize all controls as I get in the three point attitude besides pitch.. I’ve been pondering the “why” I’m doing this, I believe as I think with all the focus on footwork to keep her straight my subconscious is thinking with decent rudder deflection at touchdown my TW will be cocked that much too, so I want to set down with neutral rudder so TW is straight, therefore taking out the aileron quickly becomes necessary, but now you have a TW plane about to touch down configured as if it was wind nueteral landing..

One of my instructors and I talked and were gunna go out and practice them together soon.

Any thoughts on how to break this thought pattern? As I know consciously the right steps but my brain seems to be fighting it to become muscle memory.. if that makes any sense

A friend of mine is a 30k+ hour tailwheel pilot and when I first got my citabria he had me go out with a direct crosswind and run down the length of the runway with the tail up and the upwind wheel on the ground, get to the end, circle around and do it the other way.....to get used to the attitude needed for strong crosswind landings. Made me a lot more comfortable.

 

[iamtheari]

ALL of my crosswind landings with gusts and a good crosswind component in the Citabria last week were three-pointers. I'd feel I'd done a student a dis-service if they weren't comfortable with them.

We can't blame my instructors for my (slightly exaggerated in my post, as with all of my posts ever) preference for wheel landings. I started out and soloed in a Cub before I transitioned to tricycle gear and, the next thing I knew, I had my private pilot certificate, instrument rating, complex and high performance endorsements, some quality aerobatic time, and no recent three-point crosswind landings. Fortunately, it's an easy problem to solve because my instructors did teach me well. I just need to go out on a day like today (noticeable but gentle 10 knot crosswind component with no reported gusts) and practice a little.

 

[Huckster79]

Thanks for the advice guys... Some things in there could really help. Because the frustrating thing is I know what I'm doing is incorrect. If I were to explain "How to land in a crosswind", it would not include "get the TW straight before the touchdown". It took some pondering to figure out the "why" of why I seem to be doing this as its not a conscious thought that I gotta get the tailwheel straight.

While on this subject I have a wheel landing question... I guess in my inexperience I still don't understand the advantage of them for control. I understand at touchdown I will have more control authority-but the problem in my mind is I'm going faster than I would be with a 3pointer to get me that control. But I still have to transition down the "speed dial" through that same speed I would have 3 pointed it, and then on lower where I for sure loose authority with the control surfaces. So I'm still transitioning all those speeds I would be with the 3 pointer, so I just don't intellectually get the advantage... Sure I have more authority for the first bit of touchdown, but what good does that do me when I have to slow down anyway through all those speeds and still deal with the lessening of that authority.

I'm not being argumentative, I'm explaining where my thought pattern is and looking for insight on how that is correct or incorrect.

Long and short of it, I need a little more polish time, I could probably do it on my own but feel best about having one of my high time TW instructors with me, I'm just not the guy that thinks the minute I have my endorsement I have nothing more to learn and can do all on my own...I just consider myself lucky that both local instructors are TW Pilots first and instructors second...

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

I for sure loose authority with the control surfaces.

That's what brakes are for (if you have nice brakes).

 

[Huckster79]

That's what brakes are for (if you have nice brakes).

Yes I have Clevelands not the grabby pos brakes that they came outfitted with.

But that still doesn't clear up my understanding of how a wheel landing is advantageous, as I can use brakes in a 3 point too when I loose control authority... I just cant conceptualize how the wheelie gives me any safety advantage... So its easier to keep it straight for the first 100 feet but as I slow down I'm still going the speed I would have been with a 3 point... I'm not saying my thinking is right on this issue either, thats why I'm looking for more experienced insight.

 

[RoscoeT]

While on this subject I have a wheel landing question... I guess in my inexperience I still don't understand the advantage of them for control.

Good for you for thinking critically rather than falling into the "I was taught" monkey mentality. The truth is that this is mostly a pilot preference issue mixed with some aircraft-specific differences in capability/suitability. There are too many factors to generalize. Anyone who makes blanket statements saying you should do this or that in a x-wind or gusty conditions is wrong.

Most people who do wheel landings do it because it makes them "feel" more comfortable having extra speed. Mostly it just uses more runway. In gusty conditions, trying to 3-point can possibly slam you down unexpectedly before you intended to touch down. Or a gust can pop you back in the air unexpectedly after touchdown. Wheelies can be used to mitigate that. Some people think the forward visibility of a wheelie on touchdown is important. These folks should get some time in a Pitts.

In my experience, some airplanes like a J-3 Cub are too light on their feet to "3-point" in a x-wind that reaches the limit of the aircraft capability. The angle of attack in 3-point attitude can cause the airplane to scrub sideways across the runway because the tires don't have enough weight on them to grip at touchdown and initial rollout speed even with full aileron into the wind. In this case, you can use a wheelie to touch down with weight on the tires until you slow to the point where letting the tail down will have shed enough lift from the wings that the tires stick.

But as you say, you still must get the tail down successfully. This is the real limit of x-wind capability when wheel landing. In some airplanes, you may need to use diff. brake and/or blasts of power to get the tail down under control. In some airplanes, you might as well get the tail down from the start..i.e. 3-point. Some airplanes have plenty of control authority in the rudder and ailerons, as well as weight on the tires at touchdown to "3-point" in x-wind strengths that wheelies would provide no advantage in - or even be less capable in.

Bottom line, know your airplane and just do what works. There are no rules.

 

[alfadog]

Yes I have Clevelands not the grabby pos brakes that they came outfitted with.

But that still doesn't clear up my understanding of how a wheel landing is advantageous, as I can use brakes in a 3 point too when I loose control authority... I just cant conceptualize how the wheelie gives me any safety advantage... So its easier to keep it straight for the first 100 feet but as I slow down I'm still going the speed I would have been with a 3 point... I'm not saying my thinking is right on this issue either, thats why I'm looking for more experienced insight.

I would say the advantage of a wheel landing in a xwind is that you make that transition to slow-speed 3-point in a leisurely and controlled fashion, not while under the stress of trying to land the a/c. When I was still new to the Luscombe, I made a video of my practicing xwind landings in a direct 10G19 xwind. It is on my YT channel. Later I practiced in higher direct xwind, like 20+G25.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Yes I have Clevelands not the grabby pos brakes that they came outfitted with.

But that still doesn't clear up my understanding of how a wheel landing is advantageous, as I can use brakes in a 3 point too when I loose control authority... I just cant conceptualize how the wheelie gives me any safety advantage... So its easier to keep it straight for the first 100 feet but as I slow down I'm still going the speed I would have been with a 3 point... I'm not saying my thinking is right on this issue either, thats why I'm looking for more experienced insight.

You can maintain positive directional control even as the rudder is fading as long as you maintain weight on the mains (hold the tail up a bit). Three point, the rudder is already fading as you touch down and the mains are light which limits how much damage you can do with the brakes

 

[Juliet Hotel]

I understand at touchdown I will have more control authority-but the problem in my mind is I'm going faster than I would be with a 3pointer to get me that control. But I still have to transition down the "speed dial" through that same speed I would have 3 pointed it, and then on lower where I for sure loose authority with the control surfaces. So I'm still transitioning all those speeds I would be with the 3 pointer, so I just don't intellectually get the advantage...

You are absolutely correct, you still have to transition through those same speeds. The difference is time.

In a 3-point landing, you're reaching those speeds with the plane still in the air flying and you're waiting for it to get done flying and settle on the runway. That can take time and during that time the wind can have its way with you. With a wheel landing, you've got two wheels on the ground and (presumably) brakes available. You keep the tail flying until the speed bleeds enough to safely put it down and then you put it down. You don't wait for the tail to settle and land on its own, you put it down and you can do so in a brisk firm fashion if conditions require it. That translates to spending far less time at those critical speeds without all three wheels on the surface. Much easier to keep everything under control that way.

 

[RoscoeT]

In a 3-point landing, you're reaching those speeds with the plane still in the air flying and you're waiting for it to get done flying and settle on the runway. That can take time and during that time the wind can have its way with you.

Mostly agree, however there is smooth steady x-wind and there is gusty x-wind. What you describe applies more to gusty x-wind. Smooth steady x-wind is easy to handle 3-point. Either way, you still want to smoothly touch the runway. The 3-pointer simply happens at a higher pitch attitude. If you're spending an excessive time floating, waiting for the plane to settle 3-point, your approach is too fast. By the same token, I see lots of pilots floating like crazy before touching down for a wheelie as well. No need to increase approach speed for pure x-wind. You adjust your approach speed a bit for gust factor, regardless of (if any) x-wind component.

 

[Huckster79]

Thanks for all the explanations- makes more sense now... I think when we go out and do crosswinds I will also work on wheelies more too then- have pretty much stuck w 3 pointers

 

[Mtns2Skies]

Yes I have Clevelands not the grabby pos brakes that they came outfitted with.

But that still doesn't clear up my understanding of how a wheel landing is advantageous, as I can use brakes in a 3 point too when I loose control authority... I just cant conceptualize how the wheelie gives me any safety advantage... So its easier to keep it straight for the first 100 feet but as I slow down I'm still going the speed I would have been with a 3 point... I'm not saying my thinking is right on this issue either, thats why I'm looking for more experienced insight.

Now to add more complexity... In a 180/185 I was taught to use a tail-low wheel landing which by far is the best way to land these birds. Initially in my tailwheel training they taught me that was the worst way to land since the tail is blanked and the tailwheel isn't on the ground yet, but the 180 has plenty of rudder and it helps control the bouncyness.

Except for extremely soft or short fields I much prefer a wheel landing. I like dealing with one thing at a time. First get the wheels down, then keep tracking straight, then stop flying. In a 3 point landing you have to do all those things at once while dealing with adverse conditions like gusts and/or a rough surface. Also on a really undulating surface I like wheel landings to be able to keep the tail up or down as necessary to smooth out transitions over bumps. YMMV and I certainly get the merits to 3 point landings but I find wheel landings to be much more versatile.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Except for extremely soft or short fields I much prefer a wheel landing. I like dealing with one thing at a time. First get the wheels down, then keep tracking straight, then stop flying. In a 3 point landing you have to do all those things at once while dealing with adverse conditions like gusts and/or a rough surface. Also on a really undulating surface I like wheel landings to be able to keep the tail up or down as necessary to smooth out transitions over bumps. YMMV and I certainly get the merits to 3 point landings but I find wheel landings to be much more versatile.

The argument could also be made that wheel landings on short runways give you more stopping power.

Most of my “real” short field landings involved an obstacle, so the extra energy required to arrest the higher sink rate would mean excessive float. On my best days I’d actually touch down 3-point just at the bottom of the round out, and then roll up onto the mains for braking.

As far as rough surfaces, I prefer wheel landings simply because I’ve had too many tail wheels break...let the more robust airplane parts absorb the shock.

 

[Juliet Hotel]

Thanks for all the explanations- makes more sense now... I think when we go out and do crosswinds I will also work on wheelies more too then- have pretty much stuck w 3 pointers

When I flew banners, the boss' requirement was that all landing were wheel landings. He felt that most cases of pilots balling up taildraggers in crosswinds were due to pilots who only did wheel landings in crosswinds and therefore were not well practiced in wheel landings. If every landing is a wheel landing then landing in crosswinds meant you had only the crosswind to deal with rather than the crosswind and a type of landing you were not well versed in performing.

There are many who dispute the wisdom of that, but we didn't ball up any airplanes during my tenure there.

 

[Dan Thomas]

If the tailwheel is unlocking in the landing, you have tailwheel problems. They should need full rudder deflection plus brake on the inside to unlock it. They won't unlock until they pass 30 or 40 degrees, so they have to stretch the spring on the outside of the turn to reach unlock.

Neutralizing the ailerons in a crosswind landing is a common mistake even in trikes. A lot of pilots have had nasty surprises when the upwind wing lifted when they did that. In a taildragger, the wing's AoA in the three-point attitude makes it much more prone to lift and drag the downwind wing. Gets expensive. Fly that thing, using ALL the controls, until it's tied down.

 

[zaitcev]

As a footnote to all these discussions, some airplanes do require you to straighten the rudder momentarily as the nose or tail come down and you transition from aerodynamic control to steering control. The BYF is a tailwheel example - it does not have springs and the tailwheel simply sits on a common axis with the rudder. And yet people 3-point it.

 

[Huckster79]

If the tailwheel is unlocking in the landing, you have tailwheel problems. They should need full rudder deflection plus brake on the inside to unlock it. They won't unlock until they pass 30 or 40 degrees, so they have to stretch the spring on the outside of the turn to reach unlock.

Neutralizing the ailerons in a crosswind landing is a common mistake even in trikes. A lot of pilots have had nasty surprises when the upwind wing lifted when they did that. In a taildragger, the wing's AoA in the three-point attitude makes it much more prone to lift and drag the downwind wing. Gets expensive. Fly that thing, using ALL the controls, until it's tied down.

That’s what frustrates me, is I was pretty darned good at it in the 172... very disciplined with strong aileron control in a crosswind, and not a second thought about keeping nose straight with the pedals... so why the heck I picked up this bad habit now idk... but it’s gotta go!

 

[Bill Watson]

Wheel versus tail&main (3 point) landings; I would just emphasize that the optimal technique is in part, aircraft specific.

The Maule certainly seems to be different than many. The flight manual suggests and the factory instructors teach use of tailwheel and main landings exclusively, particularly for the novice. The only wheelies I practiced and demonstrated for the endorsement were just that... for the endorsement. I was told and proceeded to learn that landings in all wind conditions can and should be made as tailwheel and main landings. The trick in high crosswinds was to reduce the flaps or in extreme conditions, go to negative or reflex flaps. The Maule is no where near a stall AOA when in 3 point attitude unless full flaps are deployed. And it can still be flown with full flaps at that AOA without stalling.

With that said, the Maule was entirely capable of wheel landings. For a period of time I had a problem with a tail dolly that gave me a flat tailwheel on a half dozen of occasions. I made multiple landings knowing I had a flat tailwheel and had a chance to polish my wheelie technique. No problem doing them, just no advantage.

So that’s the Maule.

Having watched many tailwheel landings it looks to me that while some pilots do wheelies with ‘authority’ where the yoke is pushed forward on touchdown for positive main gear contact, many pilots just seem to float along until the mains touch and then they typically just let things slow down until the tail slowly settles. On a bumpy grass field the mains usually bounce before the plane settles into a stable 2 point then 3 point landing.

I don’t have tw experience beyond the Maule but the floating along until the mains bounce and then letting the plane slowly settle just doesn’t look like the right technique. I know the glider tow pilots flying Bird Dogs in 25 knot crosswinds on ridge days always made positive contact with the ground with single wheel wheelies.


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[MauleSkinner]

Wheel versus tail&main (3 point) landings; I would just emphasize that the optimal technique is in part, aircraft specific.

The Maule certainly seems to be different than many. The flight manual suggests and the factory instructors teach use of tailwheel and main landings exclusively, particularly for the novice. The only wheelies I practiced and demonstrated for the endorsement were just that... for the endorsement. I was told and proceeded to learn that landings in all wind conditions can and should be made as tailwheel and main landings. The trick in high crosswinds was to reduce the flaps or in extreme conditions, go to negative or reflex flaps. The Maule is no where near a stall AOA when in 3 point attitude unless full flaps are deployed. And it can still be flown with full flaps at that AOA without stalling.

With that said, the Maule was entirely capable of wheel landings. For a period of time I had a problem with a tail dolly that gave me a flat tailwheel on a half dozen of occasions. I made multiple landings knowing I had a flat tailwheel and had a chance to polish my wheelie technique. No problem doing them, just no advantage.

So that’s the Maule.

Having watched many tailwheel landings it looks to me that while some pilots do wheelies with ‘authority’ where the yoke is pushed forward on touchdown for positive main gear contact, many pilots just seem to float along until the mains touch and then they typically just let things slow down until the tail slowly settles. On a bumpy grass field the mains usually bounce before the plane settles into a stable 2 point then 3 point landing.

I don’t have tw experience beyond the Maule but the floating along until the mains bounce and then letting the plane slowly settle just doesn’t look like the right technique. I know the glider tow pilots flying Bird Dogs in 25 knot crosswinds on ridge days always made positive contact with the ground with single wheel wheelies.


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I had a conversation with Ray Maule a while back, when I was doing an owner checkout for a guy who couldn’t do wheel landings to save his life. The gist of it was that Maule recommends against wheel landings, including for the purposes of 61.31(i), for a couple of reasons...first, they don’t think they’re necessary, and second, because the main gear are further forward on the Maules than most taildraggers, so they are actually more difficult. Put a scale under the tailwheel of a Maule and a Cessna 170, and you’ll find the Maule has almost twice the weight back there.

That said, I agree that Maules are very nice wheel landing airplanes, and in fact, I did them almost exclusively in mine.

As far as the extended float on landing, that happens in taildraggers for the same reason it happens in nosedraggers...pilots haven’t identified where their wheels are, and so they carry a little more speed to give them time to find the ground without stalling.

 

[Stewartb]

Crawl before you walk, walk before you run. Give it time. There's no substitute for experience.

 

[Dana]

As others have said above, a wheel landing lets you separate the touchdown from the action of getting the tailwheel on the ground, and lets you touch down at a higher speed, with firmer control.

I forget who taught me to wheel land in strong crosswinds, either the Stearman instructor I did my first tailwheel work with or the non-CFI seller of my Taylorcraft, the first airplane I owned... but it works for me.