interesting post from vans site
I prefer to look at the tail-dragger/nose-dragger debate as a matter of evolution.
Many years ago pre-man was pretty hairy and was designed to be a "knuckle dragger" that we know today as the ape. Over time man evolved into the elegant and well-adapted being that we all know today. There's an analogy in aircraft history. The tail-dragger came first but over time a design evolved that was better suited to getting into and out of the air without ground-looping because of a misplaced center of gravity. :D As some have noted, insurance companies recognize the superior design when they give tricycle gear planes better rates.
Now some folks will argue that real "pilots" (not real men) fly tail-draggers implying they somehow posess superior flying skills. In reality, the skill needed with a tail-dragger has nothing to do with flying and everything to do with ground control (aka "driving"). I'd love to hear a LOGICAL argument that explains why the group of pilots with the supposedly superior skills (tail-dragger pilots) have to pay higher insurance than those inferior nose-wheel pilots. If there was actually any data to support the difference in skill levels argument that would be even better. :D
Its my opinion, supported by no more data than you'll find in this note, that tricycle gear pilots have demonstrated the ability to exercise the most crucial of flying skills - good judgement. They selected the safer aircraft to fly rather than the better looking airplane (yeah, even I gotta admit that tail-dragger planes are better looking).
Don RV-9AAAAAAAAAAA (fuselage)
No flames please....this was sent tongue in cheek....mostly.