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Old July 4th 06, 03:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Dylan Smith
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Posts: 530
Default Easiest and Hardest

On 2006-06-28, Robert M. Gary wrote:
In a tailwheel plane taxiing is the hardest.


I'm not sure I agree: taxiing my Cessna 140 wasn't hard - the visibility
over the nose on the ground was reasonable (better than some nosewheel
planes like the Cherokee Six with its unfeasably long conk), and it had a
steerable tailwheel. Landing it in a gusty crosswind was far harder
than taxiing it in the same crosswind (thanks to the steerable tailwheel).
Having brakes that worked consistently all the time was helpful.

On the other hand, in the Auster, I'd definitely agree that taxiing is
the hardest. It has a free castoring tailwheel which you can't even
lock. Visibility over the nose is terrible, so you have to S-turn. The
brakes are inconsistent (cable operated drum brakes) and in a quartering
tailwind especially it can be very tough.

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