Definition
An airplane with a landing gear configuration consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a single small wheel under the tail. The aircraft sits nose-high on the ground, with the tail low and the propeller pointed upward.
Plain English
An airplane that rests on two main wheels at the front and one small wheel at the back, so its nose points up while it sits on the ground.
Context Anchor
Seen in takeoff, landing, taxi, and ground-handling discussions for airplanes with conventional landing gear.
Derivation
Named directly for the small wheel under the tail. Often called a 'taildragger' because the tail effectively drags along behind the main wheels during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
Why Pilots Care
Tailwheel aircraft demand specific takeoff and landing techniques to avoid ground loops and loss of directional control.
Grounding Statement
On the ground, the airplane rests on its two main wheels and a small rear wheel, so the nose points upward until the airplane gains speed or settles after landing.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as just any airplane that happens to have a wheel near the tail. In aviation, a tailwheel aircraft means the tailwheel is part of the airplane’s landing gear arrangement, with the main wheels ahead of the airplane’s center of weight.
Example Sentence 1
Before flying the Piper Cub solo, she completed her tailwheel endorsement with a qualified instructor.
Example Sentence 2
During the crosswind landing, the pilot kept the tailwheel firmly on the runway to maintain alignment.