The reason conventional gear (taildragger) is slightly Less directionally stabile anytime the wheels are on the ground unlike tricycle gear is that by neccessity the aircrafts center of gravity is behind the last and first point of ground contact on takeoff and landing (the center of the main gear tires or footprint. The CG will try to swap ends with this contact point every time. Just as if you shoved a pole into the mud in the front of a raft drifting down stream, The raft will spin around every time.

The Center of gravity of a tricycle arraingement by neccessity is always forward of the main gear which hopefully is always the last and first point of ground contact. The CG in front is now happy and will want to keep going its merry way straight ahead.


Both types of landing gear have their applications in a variety of aircraft that goes way beyond just flight training or ego and macho.

Both types of gear can and are used in basic training but the key is as always working with a mentor/instructor. The Sig LT-25 in ARF or kit is a superb primary trainer with conventional gear intended for tentyfive sized engines is close to the size of many forty size trainers.

John