The tailwheel endorsement is a logbook endorsement required before you can act as pilot-in-command of any conventional-gear (tailwheel) airplane, per 14 CFR §61.31(i). It is not a certificate or rating and requires no FAA written exam or practical test — but it does require flight training from an authorized instructor who certifies you as proficient in the specific maneuvers outlined by the regulation.
Tailwheel aircraft represent some of the most rewarding flying available — from classic Cubs and Champs to Citabrias, Huskies, and a large portion of the experimental and warbird fleet. More practically, conventional gear is standard equipment on many of the best backcountry, aerobatic, and owner-flown aircraft out there. The endorsement is also widely recognized as a genuine confidence builder: pilots who earn it tend to be smoother, more precise, and more aware of what their aircraft is doing on the ground.
Prerequisites
Per 14 CFR §61.31(i)(1), you must hold at least a student pilot certificate. The regulation specifies no minimum flight hours — only that an authorized instructor provide the required flight training and find you proficient.
One exception applies: per 14 CFR §61.31(i)(2), pilots who logged PIC time in a tailwheel airplane prior to April 15, 1991 are not required to obtain the endorsement.
Knowledge Requirements
14 CFR §61.31(i) addresses flight training and proficiency specifically; ground instruction is not explicitly mandated by the regulation. That said, meaningful ground training is a standard part of any responsible tailwheel program. Before we fly, we'll cover:
- Ground handling and taxi technique — tailwheel aircraft are inherently less stable directionally on the ground than tricycle-gear aircraft, and that begins the moment you start rolling
- P-factor, torque, and left-turning tendencies — understanding why these forces are amplified in tailwheel operations, particularly at low speed and high power
- Three-point vs. wheel landing philosophy — when each technique is appropriate, what the aircraft is doing in each case, and how to make the call
- Crosswind mechanics — how crosswind correction differs in a conventional-gear aircraft and why the consequences of getting it wrong are more immediate
- Go-around decision-making — recognizing when a landing has gotten away from you and executing a timely, confident go-around rather than forcing it
Flight Experience
14 CFR §61.31(i)(1) specifies no minimum flight hours but does require that training include, at minimum, the following maneuvers and procedures:
- Normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings per §61.31(i)(1)(i)
- Wheel landings, unless the manufacturer has recommended against them, per §61.31(i)(1)(ii)
- Go-around procedures per §61.31(i)(1)(iii)
The endorsing instructor must certify proficiency across all required maneuvers via a logbook endorsement per §61.31(i)(1).
In practice, most pilots complete the endorsement in five to ten hours, though the range varies considerably depending on prior experience, aircraft type, and how quickly ground handling clicks. The goal isn't the minimum number of landings — it's the point where three-pointers and wheel landings are both consistent, crosswinds are manageable, and you have the situational awareness to fly the aircraft all the way to the tie-down.
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