length, if desired. While taxiing, the steerable tailwheel should  be used for making normal turns and the pilot’s feet kept off  the brake pedals to avoid unnecessary wear on the brakes. of light tailwinds, producing a net headwind over the tail.  This in turn suggests that back stick, not forward, does the  most to help with directional control. If in doubt, it is best to  sample the wind as you taxi and position the elevator where  it will do the most good. When beginning to taxi, the brakes should be tested  immediately for proper operation. This is done by first  applying power to start the airplane moving slowly forward,  then retarding the throttle and simultaneously applying  pressure smoothly to both brakes. If braking action is  unsatisfactory, the engine should be shut down immediately. To turn the airplane on the ground, the pilot should apply  rudder in the desired direction of turn and use whatever power  or brake necessary to control the taxi speed. At very low taxi  speeds, directional response is sluggish as surface friction  acting on the tailwheel inhibits inputs trough the steering  springs. At normal taxi speeds, rudder inputs alone should  be sufficient to start and stop most turns. During taxi, the  AOA built in to the structure gives control placement added  importance when compared to nosewheel models. When taxiing in a quartering headwind, the upwind wing can  easily be lifted by gusting or strong winds unless ailerons  are positioned to “kill” lift on that side (stick held into the  wind). At the same time, elevator should be held full back  to add downward pressure to the tailwheel assembly and  improve tailwheel steering response. This is standard control  positioning for both nosewheel and tailwheel airplanes, so  the difference lies only in the added tailwheel vulnerability  created by the fuselage pitch attitude. When taxiing with a quartering tailwind, this fuselage  angle reduces the tendency of the wind to lift either wing.  Nevertheless, the basic vulnerability to surface winds  common to all tailwheel airplanes makes it essential to be  aware of wind direction at all times, so holding the stick away  from the cross wind is good practice (left aileron in a right  quartering tailwind). Elevator positioning in tailwinds is a bit more complex.  Standard teaching tends to recommend full forward stick in  any degree of tailwind, arguing that a tailwind striking the  elevator when it is deflected full down increases downward  pressure on the tailwheel assembly and increases directional  control. Equally important, if the elevator were to remain  deflected up, a strong tailwind can get under the control  surface and lift the tail with unfortunate consequences for  the propeller and engine.  While stick-forward positioning is essential in strong  tailwinds, it is not likely to be an appropriate response when  winds are light. The propeller wash in even lightly-powered  airplanes is usually strong enough to overcome the effects  Wing flaps should be lowered prior to takeoff if recommended  by the manufacturer. After taxiing onto the runway, the  airplane should be aligned with the intended takeoff direction,  and the tailwheel positioned straight or centered. In airplanes  equipped with a locking device, the tailwheel should be  locked in the centered position. After releasing the brakes,  the throttle should be smoothly and continuously advanced  to takeoff power. At all times on the takeoff roll, care must  be taken to avoid applying brake pressure. After absorbing all the information presented to this point,  the transitioning pilot may conclude that the best approach  to maintaining directional control is to limit rudder inputs  from fear of overcontrolling. Although intuitive, this is  an incorrect assumption: the disadvantages built in to the  tailwheel design sometimes require vigorous rudder inputs  to maintain or retain directional control. The best approach is  to understand the fact that tailwheel aircraft are not damaged  from the use of too much rudder, but rather from rudder  inputs held for too long. In the normal nose-high attitude, the engine cowling may be  high enough to restrict the pilot’s vision of the area directly  ahead of the airplane while on the ground. Consequently,  objects directly ahead are difficult, if not impossible, to see.  In aircraft that are completely blind ahead, all taxi movements  should be started with a small turn to ensure no other plane  or ground vehicle has positioned itself directly under the  nose while the pilot’s attention was distracted with getting  ready to takeoff. In taxiing such an airplane, the pilot should  alternately turn the nose from one side to the other (zigzag)  or make a series of short S-turns. This should be done slowly,  smoothly, positively, and cautiously. Tailwheel airplanes have an exaggerated tendency to  weathervane, or turn into the wind, when operated on the  ground in crosswinds. This tendency is greatest when taxing  with a direct crosswind, a factor that makes maintaining  directional control more difficult, sometimes requiring use of  the brakes when tailwheel steering alone proves inadequate  to counteract the weathervane effect.  Weathervaning Visibility Directional Control Normal Takeoff Roll 13-3