Originally Posted by
piperboy84
Sure but whether you do a 3 pointer or wheeler there is the inevitable certain point in both where you lose a significant degree of rudder authority as you slow up, in a full stall 3 pointer you immediately have the tail down which provides a small degree of purchase and you're slow so a ground loop hopefully is not a violent swing at speed, whereas in a wheeler you are going faster which it takes longer to stop and exposes you to more time in roll out for a gust to catch you as rudder authority dissipates and then you reach the most exposed part where there is just enough lift to keep the tail up but you are slow and with no tail wheel purchase whatsoever which is a more conducive configuration to ground looping than the full stall. Also, most modern tail wheels have a detent on the castor that provides some resistance at about 20 degrees of center on either side which helps. Bottom line, I'd rather have my ass down than up when slow and rudder authority is limited.
Spot on!
"Light" vintage taildraggers were designed to be three pointed, and in the early days of aviation intended to be landed into wind. Land across the wind at your peril. Tail skids were better than wheels at the back and a cstoring tail wheel can be helped by a " lock". I never wheeled the Hornet Moth on - never!