text: The bicycle configuration of landing gear 
  the 
  has stability 
  is ac- 
  automobile. 
  complished with 
  the front wheels operated 
  by power controls, no stability problem exists 
  at low speeds. A problem can exist when the 
  airplane is at high speeds because of a distribu- 
  tion of normal force being different from the 
  ordinary static weight distribution. 
  the 
  airplane is held onto the runway at speeds 
  well above the normal takeoff and landing 
  speeds, the front wheels carry a greater than 
  ordinary amount of normal force and a tend- 
  ency for instability exists. However, at these 
  same high speeds the rudder is quite powerful 
  is usually well within 
  and the condition 
  control. 
  
  characteristics more like 
  If directional control 
  
  The conventional tail wheel configuration 
  has this basic instability or ground loop tend- 
  ency which must be stabilized by the pilot. 
  At high rolling speeds where aerodynamic 
  forces are significant, the aerodynamic direc- 
  the airplane resists the 
  tional stability of 
  ground looping 
  tendency. The most likely 
  times for a ground loop exist when rolling 
  are not high enough to provide a con- 
  speeds 
  tribution of the aerodyhamic forces. When the 
  tail wheel is free to swivel or when the normal 
  force on the tail wheel is small, lack of pilot 
  attention can allow the ground loop to take 
  place. 
  The basically stable nature of the tricycle 
  and bicycle landing gear configurations is best 
  appreciated by the ease of control and ground 
  maneuvering of the airplane. Operation of 
  a conventional tail wheel configuration after 
  tricycle cohfigu- 
  considerable experience with 
  rations requires careful consideration af the 
  stability 
  that must be furnished by the pilot 
  during ground maneuvering. 