Originally Posted by
ATC Watcher
turning at 2500 Rpm ?
Most Taildraggers and long-nosed warbirds in particular have taxi visibility issues, and we have way to compensate. Slow and slight regular S turns are the norm , The problem comes when someone pops up in front of you unexpected, or queuing in a lane when the one in front brake and stop in without saying anything ..
I am not sure about stating that you are stopping each time you stop while in line at a runway at a busy airport with a long-nosed taildragger behind you. Of course, there is a logic to it and it might be a good idea when you are small to do something when there is a large-bladed aircraft like this behind you. As the little guy who knows there is a big-nosed taildragger behind them, one might position themselves at the edge of the taxiway where they are more likely to be seen or even turn themself at an angle when stopping to be able to monitor that big aircraft behind you.
But the taildragger should be keeping a proper lookout. Depending on the design of the taildragger with poor forward visibility, this may mean not stopping so that you are pointed straight ahead but stopping at an angle to the taxiway centerline(allowing you to see forward along the taxiway). Or if stopped and pointed straight ahead, once ready to move forward, adding power and applying one brake to turn the aircraft a certain number of degrees on the spot so that you can see ahead along the taxiway and then applying the other brake to turn back on the spot(or close to it) toward the taxiway heading to taxi forward. Or possibly having a marshaller in certain circumstances like Oshkosh or in certain circumstances potentially asking on the radio for some sort of visual verification assistance.