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Date: Mon, 07 Dec 1998 23:12:07 -0600
From: Snowbird <snbird@ibm.net>
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Subject: Re: Learning on a Taildragger?
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Dave Mould wrote:

> If you have to go for a tricycle first, then getting tailwheel 
> experience shortly afterwards is a good "second best".  (..) Another 
> "second best" is to go with a tricycle that has a non-steerable > nosewheel.

IMO as a castoring-nosewheel pilot with some taildragger time,
not the same thing at all.

A nosewheel with no shock absorption will keep you honest about
landing on the mains and holding the nosewheel off, and also 
teach something about steering as much as possible with rudder
(esp. if you're buying the brake pads) but it's still a nosedragger.  
If you land a little crooked, it forgives you.

It does not provide that visceral understanding of the true meaning
of the written phrase "a conventional geared aircraft is directionally
unstable on the ground" which a single muffed landing in a taildragger
will provide.

Regards,
Snowbird

