Definition
An airplane whose landing gear consists of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel at the tail, causing the airplane to sit on the ground in a nose-high attitude.
Plain English
An airplane that rests on two big wheels at the front and a small wheel at the back, so its nose points up when it's on the ground.
Context Anchor
Seen in taxiing, takeoff, and landing discussions where the airplane’s ground handling and forward visibility are important.
Derivation
Named simply for the location of the small third wheel — at the tail, rather than under the nose. Sometimes called a 'taildragger' for the same reason.
Why Pilots Care
The nose-high ground attitude changes visibility, propeller clearance, and directional control, making the airplane more prone to ground loops in crosswinds and requiring specific taxi, takeoff, and landing procedures.
Intuition Check
Do not read “tailwheel-type” as just a description of where one wheel happens to be. In aviation, it names a specific landing gear layout: main wheels forward, small wheel at the tail.
Example Sentence 1
Because it was a tailwheel-type airplane, the student had to make gentle S-turns while taxiing to see around the high nose.
Example Sentence 2
Before the crosswind takeoff in the tailwheel-type airplane, the pilot applied full up-elevator and positioned the ailerons to prevent the upwind wing from lifting.