Yep. Something like a Cub has pretty good forward vis really. The Tiger Moth is ok because you can stick your head out the side and see forwards that way. The Pitts I aimed for a curved approach but if you're at a controlled aerodrome and in the landing sequence you don't get a lot of say in how you fly it, sometimes you just have to go straight in. I suspect if you're in something like a Spitfire the tower is generally keen for a buzz and break to the circuit so you're more likely to get setup nicely for a curved approach.

I've only been exposed to the true wing down method once. That was when I was flying a Dash 8 and my FO proceeded to align the nose with the centreline at about 1000' and apply bank so that I was sort of leaning on my flight bag. "What the hell is this?" I thought. I soon realised this was the crosswind technique they'd been taught. I hate it when taken to that extreme, completely inappropriate for passenger ops. Every other pilot I've flown with has only started to drop the wing over the threshold or later.

"With the proliferation of dashboard cams in cars, would it be helpful to mount a similar unit in a position high enough on the aeroplane for a taildragger pilot to be able to see ahead without needing to zig zag?"

The SwiftFury prototype I flew about 8 years ago had a camera mounted in the lower nose bowl, with the screen in the panel. It worked well.

Not really true of the J3 / L4, which is flown from the rear seat. Most of the aeroplane seems to be in front of you and in the 3-point attitude one's bum is quite near the ground.

Fair point.

Just take someone along and you can sit upfront ;-)

If you are relatively athletic and have child’s legs perhaps.

Plus, it's much nicer in the back, especially with the whole RH side of the cockpit open. For me, flying it from the back was a big attraction of the L4.

I wouldn't say I have child's legs, but it sure feels cramped after a while. Same up front in the S2A. Hard to get around when you are instructing though.

I'd agree when your doing initial training though if your operations progress to one way or short strips, and a suitable aircraft and tyre combo, then brakes may become fairly important.
If surface grip allows many T/W aircraft can do fairly heavy initial braking just after touch down. Obviously braking effort is reduced as speed decays so as to avoid tip over.
I would certainly advise any tail wheel new chum to look at practicing, in a suitable type, a bit of heavy braking and differential steering braking. A handy couple extra tools in the flight experience tool kit..:)





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