Plain English Meaning

An airplane that rides on two main wheels up front and a little wheel at the back, so the tail sits low and the nose points up while it's on the ground.

Full Definition

An airplane with its main landing gear forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel under the tail, so the aircraft sits on the ground with its nose pitched upward when at rest. Also commonly called a 'taildragger' or 'conventional gear' aircraft.

Context Anchor

Seen in ground handling, takeoff, landing, and discussions of propeller gyroscopic action in tailwheel airplanes.