The term “taildragger” is any aircraft with a tailwheel attached at the end proper. Before, it was coined “conventional undercarriage.”
This is because past airplanes were installed with tepid engines. This means that, in turn, their propellers need to be huge and very slow-turning. Near the front, long undercarriage legs were installed to keep the dirt out of the propeller—this configuration has distinct disadvantages.
As time went by, technology has exponentially increased and upgraded. In this modern world, aviation and aircraft have acquired new technology.
Because of today’s modern nosewheel designs, aircraft pilots are not as adept now at handling taildragger planes as they used to. More than that, most of today’s pilots are unfamiliar with the taildragger aircraft. This is because most modern pilots have never flown a taildragger aircraft.
Because of the diverse missions or their vintage lineage, taildragger types are of an alluring diversity—their many personalities to the different kinds of taildraggers. Learning how to tackle the various quirks and limitations of a taildragger can significantly improve a pilot’s ability to fly an aircraft.
Having a tailwheel installed on any aircraft always adds spice to flying it. Some types of taildraggers are easy enough to maneuver, even for beginners, but that is not always true for other kinds of taildraggers. During the old age of aviation, taildraggers were part of the primary training for aspiring pilots.