Wheel landing or three point?

[Cat Driver]

Which do you prefer and why?

[Big Pistons Forever]

3 Point in the light taildraggers unless the wind is just howling, and wheel landings in the bigger ones ( 185 and up, except for the Air Tractor 802 which I always 3 pointed as that was the company SOP)

For students I started them on 3 pointers and when they were competent at those we moved to wheel landings

[crazyaviator]

Some aircraft REQUIRE a 3 point landing almost all the time, or so it is thought! Most Taildraggers have MORE control landing on the mains, then easing onto the tail under total control. 3 pointing it leaves the wing more susceptible to gusts and the nose high position reduces directional control. Even in a gusty crosswind, it may end up as a 2 pointer ( the into wind main and the tail-wheel) If its a little cross and a little gusty, land with less or no flaps and wait till the lull in the gust before you let the tail down. My preferred way of landing is nose a little high but tail wheel off the ground, then ease the nose over a tad upon landing to reduce lift and plant the mains, then once you reach a sweet spot between good rudder authority diminishing and the need for tailwheel authority, then let her down. NOW, time to flame away

[cgzro]

Depends on plane, runway surface, wind , my mood etc.

[Taxivasion]

Wheel landings all day long unless...

Depends on plane, runway surface, wind , my mood etc.

[fixedpitch]

Who cares? Switch to tricycle, and you don't have to worry about it.

[Cat Driver]

Who cares? Switch to tricycle, and you don't have to worry about it.

You took the time to reply to the question but did not give your opinion on whcih kind of landing you prefer to do.

So how about commenting on the question?

[Tips Up]

Heavier, bigger taildragger like my 185 seemed to work out nicely two pointing. Especially in crosswinds or if I haven't flown it on wheels for a while. Usually with it was worse weather and crosswinds then the smaller taildraggers. Landed with a wicked crosswind once in winter but then no way I could taxi once turned off the runway- shut down and got a tow back to hangar....
Cub and Citabria seemed nice either way.
Crosswinds or gusts I would rather two point and have a lower angle of attack and bring the tail down when I decided everything was working out and lined up.

[Schooner69A]

All my conventional geared light aircraft landings (including steam Otter, Harvard, and Beech 18) were 3-point. Or at least, that was the intent. If the mains touched with the tailwheel still a few inches above the ground, that was OK. However, the intent was 3-point.

What little conventional geared aircraft I fly today are treated the same...

[TG]

I do one point!

Am I normal!?













(In gusty crosswind)

[Cat Driver]

Crosswinds or gusts I would rather two point and have a lower angle of attack and bring the tail down when I decided everything was working out and lined up.

And of course the forward visibility over the nose is better.

[Tips Up]

Crosswinds or gusts I would rather two point and have a lower angle of attack and bring the tail down when I decided everything was working out and lined up.

And of course the forward visibility over the nose is better.

Well except the Pitts. That thing is like driving down the highway watching the lane markings out the side for reference.

[Cat Driver]

Well except the Pitts. That thing is like driving down the highway watching the lane markings out the side for reference.

And you are driving down the highway at high speed.

The Pitts is the only tail wheel airplane I ever flew that I prefer to three point instead of wheel land, even in the turning approach and touch down.

[cgzro]

The Pitts likes a sort of 2.5 pt landing. A kind of tail low 2 pointer. That way you have the advantages of the two pointer but without quite so much speed. In fact one wheel at a time with the tail low is a good compromise. That technique can even be used with a strong quartering tail wind if necessary .. or just for a challenge.

[trey kule]

I seem to recall in the distant past, flying a specific tail dragger or
two, that could only be landed pretty much three point because of the prop.
And I prefer three point, even if it is harder to land that way. That tail wheel on the ground makes a big difference.
But the truth is most of the time I am not sure exactly which way I would put it down until the last few seconds. Typically sort of a three point with the tail wheel an inch or so off the ground.

But, having seen these threads before, it seems it is all about just arguing, and nothing gets resolved, or people change their minds.

Been a few years now since I landed one. I expect in my memory I did it better than I really did.

[JasonE]

Short runway? 3 point. 2 pointer gobbles up runway I find getting the plane slowed and tail down. I mostly 3 point myself.

[Lotro]

I was at KOSH this year and saw a presentation by Budd Davisson ( http://www.airbum.com/ ) on "Mastering the Tail Wheel". It was mostly anecdotal, but he's landed more tailwheel aircraft than I have, so I was interested in what he said.

He said (I'm paraphrasing) that he recommends using the three-point landing all the time EXCEPT when there's a crosswind with gust differential represents 20% - 25% of the stall speed of the aircraft.

Thus, if you're flying a J3, stall is ~40 MPH (I think, it's been a while), if there's a crosswind gusting is greater than 8 KT over the steady winds, he'd recommend a wheel landing.

He didn't obsess beyond that about wind direction/crosswind limits etc. It was a very simple (too simple?) approach to the issue.

His reasoning is that when three-pointing, ill-timed gusts in this amount can cause ballooning in the flare which can upset your otherwise steady, straight approach.

I'm not much of a pilot. I have some Cub time dragging tail and I loved it. I liked Budd's simple approach to this much-discussed technique because it acts as a framework that I can work inside. I think at face value the answer to the question of "Wheel landing" v "Three-point" landing is "Both, where appropriate".

I just have a hard time understanding (with my limited experience) where that line is.

~Lotro

[cgzro]

Another reason for a 2 point is if you are on a long busy runway and have to taxi down the runway to a turn off. For example last week we were at Trenton with the little Yellow Wings trainers giving cadet rides. Taking 5 minutes to taxi to the taxiway after landing on a 10,000 ft runway is not convenient for all the other traffic so a two pointer and taxi on the mains till just before the taxiway is less of a disturbance to the faster, more runway burning a/c. The following week we were on a 2500ft, uncut longish grass runway so a nice slower 2 point made more sense. Same airplane, different circumstances, different techniques.

[P180]

Which do you prefer and why?

Wheel landing seems like every time I did a 3 pointer it didn't,t turn out very nice.The left side of the runway then the right and sometimes the other end.So I prefer the wheel landing.

[Cat Driver]

Wheel landing seems like every time I did a 3 pointer it didn't,t turn out very nice.The left side of the runway then the right and sometimes the other end.So I prefer the wheel landing.

The biggest advantage to wheel landings for me is like you I have better control and better forward visibility at touch down than when I three point.

As to using more runway that can be fine tuned by being able to more accurately touch down at a selected point on the runway and if you need to brake you can lower the nose and get far better braking traction.

I used to experiment with the DC3 occasionally when I had no passengers to see if I could use less runway three pointing instead of wheel landing and I never did determine if I could with any level of predictability.

Maybe I could in perfect conditions such as smooth air.