Pilot Institute

MARCH 28, 2025

When air flows over the aircraft wing, the shape of the airfoil creates low pressure above the wing and relatively higher pressure below the wing. When the aircraft encounters a vortex and its strong enough to induce roll, the pilot counters it by using the ailerons against the roll and tries to fly out of the wake as soon as possible.

Turbulence 97

Turbulence Lift Drag Runway 97

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Although it is sort of heavy on the ailerons,” Storo said. And the ailerons are almost worthless at that point; they’re not doing a whole lot for you at all. I have actually taxied out with a semi-crosswind where I just turned around and came back in because I could not control the airplane with the earlier brakes.

Airplanes 124

Airplanes Crosswind Tail Cockpit 124

Pilot Institute

APRIL 12, 2025

They are designed with a special shape called an airfoil, which encourages passing air to turn and deflect downward. This is why the typical airfoil shape has a curved top and a flat bottom, especially in slower-speed general aviation aircraft. They work in opposite pairs: when one aileron goes up, the other goes down.

Lift 52

Lift Torque Thrust Aileron 52

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 16, 2024

Planespotters note the F2’s separate ailerons and flaps, conventional tail. For one thing, the F2s fuselage hangs from a completely new wing with two distinct airfoil shapes. An obvious discontinuity leads to a thinner airfoil inboard. You might ask what happens with crosswind landings when you take away rudder authority.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Rudder Aileron Crosswind 98

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

Combining the Gweduck’s advanced hull with its counter-rotating propellers means differential power allows crosswind water taxiing impossible in floatplanes along with higher hull-in-water taxiing speeds. “We I took the controls and motored around, using rudder, aileron and differential throttles for steering as required.

Airplanes 77

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 77