{"id":28403197,"date":"2026-10-17T10:22:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T08:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/tailwheel-endorsement-taildragger-61-31-i-ground-loop-explained\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T10:23:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T08:23:08","slug":"tailwheel-endorsement-taildragger-61-31-i-ground-loop-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/tailwheel-endorsement-taildragger-61-31-i-ground-loop-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Tailwheel Endorsement: What It Takes to Fly a Taildragger"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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They taxi like a shopping trolley that wants to go straight. Then one day they climb into a Piper Cub, a Super Decathlon or a <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/p-51-mustang\/\">P-51 Mustang<\/a>, and discover that the little wheel at the back changes everything.<\/p>\r\n<p>In the United States you cannot simply jump in and go. Since 1991 the Federal Aviation Administration has required a tailwheel endorsement before a pilot may act as pilot in command of a tailwheel aeroplane. Here is what the rule actually says, why taildraggers behave the way they do, and what the training involves.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Rule:<\/strong> 14 CFR 61.31(i), additional training for tailwheel airplanes<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Required:<\/strong> Flight training from an authorised instructor and a logbook endorsement<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Must include:<\/strong> Normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings, wheel landings, go-arounds<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Minimum hours:<\/strong> None specified in the rule<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Exemption:<\/strong> Pilots who logged tailwheel pilot-in-command time before 15 April 1991<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Also called:<\/strong> Conventional gear, or taildragger<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What the regulation says<\/h2>\r\n<p>The requirement is short. To fly a tailwheel aeroplane as pilot in command, a pilot must receive and log flight training from an authorised instructor in a tailwheel aeroplane, and get a logbook endorsement from an instructor who finds them proficient. The rule names three things the training must cover, and notably sets no minimum number of hours: the instructor decides when the pilot is ready.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;The flight training must include at least the following maneuvers and procedures: (i) Normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings; (ii) Wheel landings (unless the manufacturer has recommended against such landings); and (iii) Go-around procedures.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>14 CFR 61.31(i)(1)<\/strong> &mdash; US Federal Aviation Regulations, additional training required for operating tailwheel airplanes<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>The endorsement does not apply to pilots who already had tailwheel experience. Anyone who logged pilot-in-command time in a tailwheel aeroplane before 15 April 1991 is exempt.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why a taildragger fights back<\/h2>\r\n<p>The reason for the rule is geometry. On a tailwheel aeroplane the two main wheels sit slightly ahead of the centre of gravity, so the aircraft rests nose-high on a triangle of main wheels and tailwheel. The FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook says this arrangement creates three big differences from a nosewheel aircraft: directional instability on the ground, a wing that is already at an angle of attack while taxiing, and a strong tendency to weathervane into a crosswind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/tailwheel-vs-nosewheel-centre-of-gravity-diagram.jpg\" alt=\"Diagram comparing a nosewheel aeroplane with the centre of gravity ahead of the main wheels and a tailwheel aeroplane with the centre of gravity behind them\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Where the weight sits relative to the main wheels is the whole story. Original diagram by Afterburner, based on the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 14<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p>The instability is the big one. Start a turn on the ground and the aircraft pivots on a main wheel. With the centre of gravity behind that pivot, momentum keeps the turn going and even tightens it, without any further input.<\/p>\r\n<p>Releasing the rudder does not stop it; the pilot has to apply opposite rudder to bring the aeroplane back to a straight line. A nosewheel pilot's instincts are exactly wrong, which is why early taxi attempts in a taildragger are often comically wobbly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Because of this inbuilt instability, the most important lesson that can be taught in tailwheel airplanes is to taxi and make turns at slow speeds.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>FAA Airplane Flying Handbook<\/strong> &mdash; Chapter 14, Transition to Tailwheel Airplanes<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>Left unchecked, a swerve becomes a ground loop: an uncontrolled turn during taxi, takeoff or the landing roll. It can start from a side-load on landing, a taxi turn taken too fast, an overcorrection, or even a soft patch that drags one main wheel.<\/p>\r\n<p>The handbook warns that the forces can grow until the aeroplane tips towards the outside of the turn and a wingtip hits the ground. The cure is to catch any swerve early with firm rudder, using differential braking if needed, and then to take the correction out promptly before it starts a swerve the other way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D-SyvX4GNII\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic\">Grimshaw Aviation on the ground loop and crosswind tailwheel landings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Three-point and wheel landings<\/h2>\r\n<p>Tailwheel pilots learn two ways to land. In a three-point landing the pilot holds the aeroplane off just above the runway and keeps raising the nose as it slows, so that the main wheels and the tailwheel touch at the same moment, at a low speed and a steep fuselage angle. With the tailwheel down, the aircraft cannot pitch up further, so it stays on the ground.<\/p>\r\n<p>A wheel landing is the other technique, and the regulation requires it to be taught unless the manufacturer advises against it. The pilot touches down on the main wheels only, flatter and faster, with the tail still up. That keeps more control authority in gusty or crosswind conditions, but it needs a soft touchdown and a slight relaxation of back pressure, because a tail that drops too early will push the aeroplane back into the air.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D7N-vWLGNSk\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic\">Aerobatic champion Patty Wagstaff demonstrates a tailwheel wheel landing for Sporty's.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The gateway to warbirds<\/h2>\r\n<p>The nose-high attitude has one more consequence: on the ground, the engine cowling can hide what is straight ahead. On a long-nosed aeroplane the view forward while taxiing is very limited, which is why taildragger pilots learn to look out to the sides and taxi with care.<\/p>\r\n<p>It is also why the tailwheel endorsement is the first step towards flying warbirds. Most piston fighters of the Second World War, from the Spitfire to the Mustang, sit on a tailwheel, as do classic trainers such as the Stearman and the Tiger Moth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/naca-f-51-mustang-rogers-dry-lake-1955.jpg\" alt=\"A NACA F-51 Mustang running up its engine on the taxiway beside Rogers Dry Lake in 1955, sitting nose-high on its tailwheel\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A NACA F-51 Mustang at Edwards in 1955. Big warbirds such as the Mustang are taildraggers, with a long nose that blocks the view ahead on the ground. NASA photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p>A typical endorsement is a handful of hours of dual instruction, but the regulation does not set a number and it depends on the pilot and the aeroplane. The skills it builds, above all precise and timely use of the rudder, carry over to every other aircraft a pilot flies.<\/p>\r\n<p>So if a taildragger has been on your list, start with slow taxiing, keep your feet busy, and never let a swerve grow. The little wheel at the back will do the rest of the teaching.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2C-kQ3pU2Zg\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic\">Aviation101's first lesson in landing a tailwheel aeroplane.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Sources: 14 CFR 61.31(i) (eCFR), FAA Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3C, Chapter 14<\/em><\/p>\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What is a tailwheel endorsement?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A tailwheel endorsement is the logbook endorsement required by 14 CFR 61.31(i) before a US pilot may act as pilot in command of a tailwheel aeroplane. It requires flight training from an authorised instructor and an endorsement stating the pilot is proficient.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What training is required for a tailwheel endorsement?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Under 14 CFR 61.31(i), training must include at least normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings, wheel landings unless the manufacturer recommends against them, and go-around procedures. The rule sets no minimum number of hours.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Who is exempt from the tailwheel endorsement?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Pilots who logged pilot-in-command time in a tailwheel aeroplane before 15 April 1991 do not need the tailwheel endorsement, according to 14 CFR 61.31(i)(2).<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why are tailwheel aircraft harder to handle on the ground?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">On a tailwheel aeroplane the main wheels sit ahead of the centre of gravity. Once a turn starts, momentum acting behind the pivot keeps tightening it, so the pilot must apply opposite rudder to stop it. This makes taildraggers directionally unstable on the ground.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a ground loop?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A ground loop is an uncontrolled turn during taxi, takeoff or the landing roll, most common in tailwheel aircraft. It starts as a swerve that is allowed to continue and can grow until a wingtip strikes the ground. Firm, prompt rudder and braking corrections prevent it.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is the difference between a three-point landing and a wheel landing?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">In a three-point landing the main wheels and tailwheel touch at the same time at low speed and a steep nose-high attitude. In a wheel landing the aeroplane touches down on the main wheels only, at a higher speed with the tail still up, which helps in gusty or crosswind conditions.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is a tailwheel endorsement?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A tailwheel endorsement is the logbook endorsement required by 14 CFR 61.31(i) before a US pilot may act as pilot in command of a tailwheel aeroplane. 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In a wheel landing the aeroplane touches down on the main wheels only, at a higher speed with the tail still up, which helps in gusty or crosswind conditions.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/your-first-solo-what-nobody-tells-you\/\">Your First Solo: What Nobody Tells You<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/angle-of-attack-and-the-stall-explained\/\">Angle of Attack and the Stall: Why Wings Stop Working<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share this story Most pilots today learn on aeroplanes with a nosewheel. They taxi like a shopping trolley that wants to go straight. Then one day they climb into a Piper Cub, a Super Decathlon or a P-51 Mustang, and discover that the little wheel at the back changes everything. In the United States you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":28403179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[665],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28403197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aviation-world"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Tailwheel Endorsement: How to Fly a Taildragger | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What the FAA tailwheel endorsement requires under 14 CFR 61.31(i), why taildraggers ground loop, and how three-point and wheel landings differ.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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