How to Get a Tailwheel Endorsement

A tailwheel endorsement lets you act as pilot in command of a tailwheel airplane after receiving the required training and logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor. It is one of the most useful endorsements a pilot can earn because it improves rudder discipline, landing precision, and respect for aircraft handling on the ground.

Tailwheel flying is not mysterious, but it is less forgiving than many tricycle-gear trainers.

If you are working on landing control more broadly, pair this with short-field landings and crosswind taxi technique. Tailwheel training rewards the same habits: active feet, centerline discipline, and early correction.

What the Endorsement Requires

FAA tailwheel training includes normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings, wheel landings unless the aircraft manufacturer recommends against them, and go-around procedures. There is no fixed national minimum hour requirement for the endorsement. You train until the instructor finds you proficient.

Some pilots adapt quickly. Others need more time, especially if they have years of nosewheel habits. The endorsement should be based on competence, not a promised hour count.

Why Tailwheel Airplanes Feel Different

In a tricycle-gear airplane, the center of gravity sits ahead of the main landing gear. That arrangement is naturally more stable during ground operations.

In a tailwheel airplane, the center of gravity is behind the main wheels. If the airplane starts to swerve, the mass behind the wheels wants to keep going around. If the pilot does not stop the swerve early, it can tighten into a ground loop.

This is why tailwheel pilots use active feet. You do not wait to see what happens. You correct small yaw changes early with rudder, and sometimes brake, before they grow.

Takeoffs

Tailwheel takeoffs require attention from the moment power comes in. Torque, slipstream, P-factor, and gyroscopic precession can all affect directional control.

As the tail comes up, the airplane’s attitude changes and the propeller behaves like a spinning disc being tilted. That can create yaw tendencies that must be managed. The exact feel depends on the airplane, power, wind, and runway surface.

The lesson is simple: keep the airplane straight. Do not accept a drift, swing, or lazy centerline habit. Tailwheel training quickly reveals whether your feet are awake.

Landings

Tailwheel pilots commonly learn two main landing styles: three-point landings and wheel landings.

In a three-point landing, the main wheels and tailwheel touch down at about the same time. The airplane is held in a high angle-of-attack attitude and should be fully ready to stop flying.

In a wheel landing, the main wheels touch first while the tail remains up briefly. The pilot holds the airplane on the runway, maintains directional control, and lets the tail settle as speed decreases.

Both techniques matter. Crosswinds, runway surface, aircraft type, and instructor preference can affect which technique is best for a given situation.

Ground Loops

A ground loop is an uncontrolled turn during taxi, takeoff, landing, or rollout. It can damage landing gear, strike a wingtip, or worse.

Ground loops usually begin small. The airplane yaws. The pilot delays. Momentum builds. Then the correction needed becomes larger and less graceful.

Tailwheel training teaches you to stop the first hint of unwanted yaw and then remove correction before you create a swing the other way. It is active, precise, and satisfying when done well.

What Training Feels Like

Expect a lot of pattern work. Expect crosswind discussion. Expect your instructor to care deeply about centerline tracking, control positioning, go-around judgment, and after-landing rollout.

You may also spend time taxiing in wind, learning S-turns for visibility in some aircraft, and practicing slow-speed ground handling.

Why It Makes You Better

Tailwheel training improves all flying, even if you go back to a nosewheel aircraft afterward. You will likely become more aware of rudder, wind, runway alignment, and aircraft energy. Those habits also support more efficient primary training, where consistency and preparation matter as much as raw hours in the airplane.

The endorsement is not just a logbook line. It is a reminder that takeoff and landing are still flying, even after the wheels touch.

Official References

• eCFR Title 14
• FAA Airplane Flying Handbook
• 14 CFR Part 61 Pilot Certification Rules
• FAA Airman Certification Standards
• FAA Airman Testing