Tail Dragger check out
Hi There
To be properly checked out you need to experience both tail skids and tail wheels and also find out the 'limitations' on tarmac.
Not all tail skids are steerable and some tail wheels are fully castoring** and non lockable.
The latter have to be controlled by brakes when the rudder effect is lost and it is easy to get to a point that brake effect will not hold directional control when you most need it.
In other words; being checked out on one simple type of tail dragger does not represent the full story, and it is wise to get a 'type' check out on a particular machine that you actually may wish to buy/fly/.
**Chipmunk Stampe
There have been several 'excursions' with RV taildraggers on runways, due to
lack of experience and having to use an out of wind runway that was 'out of limits'. It is quite alarming how quickly the situation goes from in to 'out of control'. The situation is not helped by many airfields now only having one strip and substantial fences bordering them. This has to born in mind when contemplating using them, as a simple brake problem could write off a machine.