Product ReviewsThe Compleat Taildragger Pilot by Harvey S. Plourde (1991, Trade Paperback)

For pilots only. The no-frills nitty-gritty for taildragger fliers.

This book is aimed at a very narrow target audience, but if you happen to be in that group, it is a must-have.
Many books about aviation are designed to appeal to a wide range of readers, from full-time professional pilots, to occasional recreational flyers, to armchair enthusiasts who just want a bit more insight about what they're watching from a distance. The author of The Compleat Taildragger Pilot has quite clearly made no effort at all to broaden the book's appeal. It is aimed at, and only at, those who actually want to fly aircraft with landing gear arranged in the now-old-fashioned configuration of two main wheels in front, and a single wheel at the rear. For approximately five decades virtually all aircraft were built this way, and it was referred to as "conventional" landing gear. After World War II, the trend shifted to what is now known as tricycle gear, with the main wheels under the approximate midpoint of the plane, and a third, steerable wheel at the nose. The former "conventional" gearing became ever less conventional, and the term was eventually replaced by "taildragger", a reference to the tail-low attitude assumed by the older craft while on the ground. The tricycle configuration is inherently more stable, and easier to learn. As a consequence it has almost completely swept taildragger gear from the marketplace. For the past several decades, taildragger gear has been encountered only those who wish to fly antique or aerobatic aircraft. But for this limited audience, I believe this book to be indispensable. Flying a taildragger is quite simply a very different experience from flying a tricycle airplane, and the differences range from gross to subtle. The author explains not only how the two types of planes differ in behavior, but also why they differ, and he explains with a level of detail that will likely exceed anything you could learn from other books or from instructors. It seems unlikely that most instructors would possess such an encyclopedic understanding of all the subtle idiosyncrasies of taildraggers, and even more unlikely that they could communicate such a comprehensive mass of information. Mr. Plourde has spelled it all out, in sometimes daunting detail. This is a book you'll probably have to read slowly, and possibly reread several times. But when you're done, you'll know all you could ever need to know about how to get maximum safety and maximum satisfaction, from a challenging and fascinating type of almost-extinct aircraft. If you intend to fly taildraggers, BUY THIS BOOK!Read full review...

Well written, detailed, good explanations and diagrams

Written in the context that the reader is already a pilot. May be a little quick for a new pilot with no experience. However when read carefully, the instruction is very good. Most training 50 years ago was in taildraggers. Today, it is assumed you are a tricycle pilot adding a taildragger endorsement.Read full review...

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Great read

Somewhat technical . It is all you need to know.

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Awesome

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