What type of landing gear is characterized by the presence of a tailwheel?

The correct answer is characterized by having a tailwheel, which is a hallmark feature of conventional landing gear. This type of landing gear is typically arranged with two main wheels positioned at the front of the aircraft and a smaller wheel, or tailwheel, located at the rear. The design allows for a nose-down attitude during taxi and takeoff, which can be advantageous for certain flight characteristics.

Conventional landing gear is often found on older aircraft and some specialized modern designs, as it provides robustness and simplicity but requires more skillful handling during landing and takeoff due to the potential for a nose-over scenario.

While nonretractable landing gear can include various configurations, it does not specifically denote the tailwheel arrangement. Tricycle landing gear, conversely, features a wheel configuration where the main wheels are in front and a nose wheel at the front, which is the opposite of the conventional setup. Fixed landing gear refers to any landing gear that does not retract and can encompass various designs, but again, does not specifically indicate the presence of a tailwheel.