Bad landings: Tail-dragger advice for jet jockeys needed

[Blinkstefaans]

I'm new to tail-draggers. I manage to set the aircraft down nicely and even roll out fairly stable using differential braking. 

 

But almost inevitably, when my speed slows down, I spin around going backwards and then drag a wingtip over the ground with substantial damage to the kite. 

 

What advice could you offer to help me prevent this from happening. 

[R33GZ]

1 hour ago, Blinkstefaans said:

I'm new to tail-draggers. I manage to set the aircraft down nicely and even roll out fairly stable using differential braking. 

 

But almost inevitably, when my speed slows down, I spin around going backwards and then drag a wingtip over the ground with substantial damage to the kite. 

 

What advice could you offer to help me prevent this from happening. 

Try keeping back pressure on the stick and use rudder control to keep you straight as possible without braking. Let the speed come off on your rollout and try not to use too much braking until your forward momentum has really come off a bit

[BlitzPig_EL]

Also keep your speed on final as low as possible.  Stay just a bit above stall speed. Most issues with landing are due to being too fast, and this sim's over done ground loop propensity.

[[CPT]Crunch]

Prop pitch 100% and throttle around 10% once you've slowed, you'll never loop again.

[76IAP-Black]

3 hours ago, [CPT]Crunch said:

Prop pitch 100% and throttle around 10% once you've slowed, you'll never loop again.

Thats the way to go!

[MDzmitry]

4 часа назад, [CPT]Crunch сказал:

Prop pitch 100% and throttle around 10% once you've slowed, you'll never loop again.

True, brakes can still do their job with the throttle up to 20% or so on most fighters, and having a bit of airflow over the tail helps you stay in control of your plane.

[Blinkstefaans]

Thanks, I will give it a go! 

 

I need to work out how to change the pitch while workoing the throttle (I have the Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas 4), so I will work with key bindings etc. 

 

Appreciate the advice. 

[Blinkstefaans]

Update: I'm still ground-looping. 

 

I'm using the pitch 100%, throttle 10% recommendation and coming in slow. I'm managing to keep it together right until the speed is quite low and then it just loops. 

 

Should I Lock the tail wheel? Does it lock auto-magically? 

 

Ps. I landed the Lightning with her tricycle gear just fine, just to prove to myself I could still do it! 

[Aapje]

Some planes have manually locking tail wheels, some auto-lock if you pull back the stick, others have no lock.

[BlitzPig_EL]

You really have to be dancing on the rudder pedals with the Spitfire, all the way down to a stop, if that's what is giving you issues.  It's the hardest plane in the sim to land.

the P38 and P39 and A20 are the easiest.

 

What aircraft are giving you the most trouble?

[FeuerFliegen]

2 hours ago, Blinkstefaans said:

Should I Lock the tail wheel? Does it lock auto-magically? 

 

Always have the tail wheel locked.  It depends on the plane.  most just have a lever to lock or unlock it.  The FW190, you must pull back on the stick to lock.

[Blinkstefaans]

I'm playing the Normandy campaign on the Axis side and flying the FW190 (the A-8 at this point). 

 

I did not know about pulling back on the stick. I will try that next. 

 

Thanks everyone! 

[MaxPower]

A while ago I was watching a flight video blogger learn tail draggers.  His instructor had a tip that I tried and it seems to work in the sim.  Use your feet llike a boxer's hands.  Quick, sharp punches to keep the airplane straight.

[Dagwoodyt]

For the Spitfire, as has been said, you want to be at about 8o indicated for touchdown. "Dancing on the pedals" is a meaningless phrase. When nearly stopped you may need to use some added throttle to prevent a ground loop. As it's LG is mounted close to centerline the AC is very "tippy" and you may need to use elevator and aileron inputs simultaneously to keep wings level. Otherwise, when you apply brakes, the weighted wheel will tip the aircraft onto its' wing. These things are learned through practice and cannot be put into effective use overnight. I think there is an unfortunate tendency to not recognize that multiple controls inputs have to be coordinated to achieve the desired result. I learned that the hard way trying to land the DCS I-16.🙂

[Blinkstefaans]

Thanks for all the brilliant advice. I think I know what happened, and it comes down to using the Thurstmaster T.Flight 4 HOTAS.

 

1) Holding back on the stick to lock the tail wheel was the missing link to the puzzle

2) The yaw on my stick is a twist grip, when I start to apply yaw, I let go of the back pressure and the tail wheel unlocks. 

 

I would not have been able to figure this out without the help of the people posting here. Thank you!

[FeuerFliegen]

On 7/5/2025 at 8:41 PM, Blinkstefaans said:

Thanks for all the brilliant advice. I think I know what happened, and it comes down to using the Thurstmaster T.Flight 4 HOTAS.

 

1) Holding back on the stick to lock the tail wheel was the missing link to the puzzle

2) The yaw on my stick is a twist grip, when I start to apply yaw, I let go of the back pressure and the tail wheel unlocks. 

 

I would not have been able to figure this out without the help of the people posting here. Thank you!

 

 Also, it's best to release the tail wheel and go stick neutral once you hit around 80-100kph.  If you hold it back until you have enough speed to lift off, you will be on the edge of your stall speed and any tiny error could cause you to stall and crash.

 

Also in that picture you have full flap down, which should only be used for landing.

[Blinkstefaans]

3 hours ago, FeuerFliegen said:

 

 Also, it's best to release the tail wheel and go stick neutral once you hit around 80-100kph.  If you hold it back until you have enough speed to lift off, you will be on the edge of your stall speed and any tiny error could cause you to stall and crash.

 

Also in that picture you have full flap down, which should only be used for landing.

Hello FeuerFliegen, 

 

Thanks for the feedback. I may have negated to say this was in fact for landings. My apologies!

[FeuerFliegen]

On 7/9/2025 at 4:58 PM, Blinkstefaans said:

Hello FeuerFliegen, 

 

Thanks for the feedback. I may have negated to say this was in fact for landings. My apologies!

 

ah right, well either way, the Fw190A is much easier to take off while holding the stick back for the first 80kph of your takeoff run.

 

It's possible to do it without the tailwheel lock, but it takes precision and skill.

[MaxPower]

I managed to run into some confusion trying to fly British fighters I thought I would share.

Aircraft with pneumatic brakes have an entirely different braking scheme and depending on how you have the controls set up, may require different controls.  I was trying to control the Mosquito with toe brakes and after a handful of ground loops that damaged the airplane, I remembered to use the brake lever instead.

I was trying to take-off the Spitfire XIVe.  I noticed the ground handling was ultra brutal... until I figured out that the aircraft spawned with coarse propeller pitch.  Decreasing the prop pitch will help with the torque load.