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Tail-up Braking
An essential skill
I know I'll take some heat on this, because tail-up braking is a very controversial subject. I also concede that what I know may not apply to airplanes I have not flown. There may be some so delicately balanced that even touching the brakes with the tail up risks a prop strike or a nose-over. I doubt it, but I readily admit that I am not qualified to make that determination. Only the pilots of those planes can make that determination, and I look forward to hearing their views.
However, in all the taildraggers I have flown, tail-up braking is a practical, useful, and essential skill. It is practical because once you get the hang of it, it is easy to manage the tail height by slightly varying pressure on the brake pedals. It is useful because it allows rapidly slowing the airplane while the tail is still up, and it is essential because differential brake steering is a necessary backup for rudder steering, especially during crosswind wheel landings, as the rudder steadily loses its effectiveness as the airplane slows. It is especially necessary just before the tail comes down.
I'm not advocating that anyone try aggressive tail-up braking right from the beginning. I'm advocating working up to it gradually, starting with very light tail-up braking and gradually increasing the amount of braking until you detect some minor impact on tail height, and stop there. As you gain familiarity with that threshold you can learn at a muscle memory level to instantly slightly reduce brake pressure whenever the tail begins to rise slightly higher than you want it. When you have that brake moderating reflex well ingrained, then you can start to brake more aggressively.
Eventually, you will be able to brake to a complete stop with the tail up and hold it up with forward stick and power, then let it down by reducing power. You will also be able to brake nearly to a stop with the tail up, then add more brake pressure just before stopping, using brakes alone to allow the tail to come down slowly, reaching the ground just as you stop. There is seldom any operational need to do these things, but they do confirm your ability to precisely control tail height with brakes, which is an essential taildragger skill.
The Art of Avoiding Ground Loops includes a syllabus for safely developing all thirteen essential taildragger reflexes, including the brake moderating reflex.
All comments on this issue are welcome.
