Skip to main content
Aviation glossary

Tailwheel Aircraft

What is tailwheel aircraft?

FAA handbook figure illustrating tailwheel aircraft

A tailwheel aircraft is one whose landing gear has two main wheels under the fuselage and a smaller wheel at the tail, sometimes called a conventional or taildragger configuration.

Studying for an FAA written test?

Terms like tailwheel aircraft show up on the FAA knowledge test. Study them in context with ACS-aligned practice questions, AI explanations, and the cited FAA handbook reference behind every answer — free to start.

Learn more in the library

Related terms

Browse the full glossary →