Pilot Institute

MAY 8, 2025

You’re on your final approach and suddenly realize your landing gear isnt down. During certain phases of flight, you may retract the landing gear to reduce drag and improve climb performance. Later, as you approach your destination, you’ll need to extend the gear again for landing. But how does this happen?

Air Traffic Control

Flying Magazine

JUNE 30, 2025

Ailerons are actuated by pushrods that run through the wing struts, reducing aerodynamic drag and giving the responsive ailerons a solid feel. On takeoff, the NX fuselage is already level rather than in the high-drag, nose high position. The manual flaps have four positions, up, 16 degrees, 33 degrees, and 46 degrees.

Gross Weight

Flight Training Central

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

Denotes area protected for an aircraft approaching or departing a runway. Shorter takeoff roll Higher induced drag Lower induced drag Correct! Aileron up on the downwind wing Aileron up on the upwind wing Aileron down on the upwind wing Correct! Denotes entrance to runway from a taxiway. lean the mixture.

Density Altitude

Aerotime

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

You might spot the spoilers popping up from the top of the wing and the ailerons deflecting upwards and downwards on the rear of the wing. One of the first items on before taxi checklists is to set the take-off flaps well before the aircraft approaches the runway. Part two will soon be available on AeroTime.

Cabin Crew

Flying Magazine

APRIL 26, 2024

The small aileron “tabs” were not doing a great job in crosswind ability. For the final approach, I calculated V REF of about 128 was fought with much shear, with airspeed variances of up to 20 to 30 knots, providing a wild ride. As is often the case with swept-wing jets, sometimes extra drag is required beyond gear and flaps.

Crosswind

Pilot Institute

MARCH 29, 2024

Drag : The aerodynamic force opposing the aircraft’s forward motion. This increases lift but comes at the cost of increased induced drag. Pilots must counteract the additional drag with more thrust to maintain altitude. As the aircraft approaches the target airspeed, add power to ensure you don’t slow down past it.

Lift

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

When an airplane starts a turn, there is more lift, and therefore, more drag created in the raised wing. Because of the increased drag, the nose of the plane wants to yaw in the direction of the lifted wing. APPROACH AND LANDING Now we’re approaching the airport and ready to land. This is called adverse yaw.

Rudder

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

It only takes a 10% increase in approach speed to increase the landing roll by 20%. These obstacles frequently affect the approach and missed approach paths. Plan your approach path carefully to eliminate large pitch and power changes. Full flaps are generally used since they lower approach speed and increase drag.

Weight-Shift-Control

Pilot Institute

JULY 12, 2024

Key Takeaways Start by setting up your approach correctly to ensure you arrive at the threshold perfectly every time. Perfect the approach phase by managing the aircraft’s energy and using references to improve positioning throughout the pattern. Flying the Approach Haphazard approaches are very likely to lead to haphazard landings.

Descent

Pilot Institute

APRIL 5, 2024

Learn to avoid common mistakes during approach, roundout, touchdown, and rollout. We have two main challenges when performing crosswind landings: Staying aligned with the extended centerline on the approach. Staying Aligned on the Approach Crosswinds try to “push” the aircraft off the approach course.

Crosswind

Air Facts

OCTOBER 23, 2024

The base had switched runways from Runway 35 to Runway 17, so that when I came back into the base I was approaching the traffic pattern from the north. But I somehow had it fixed in my mind that I was approaching from the south, to Runway 35. I deserved the taunting, doing aileron rolls like that, getting discombulated.

Runway

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 12, 2024

Poor Control Feel When the aircraft approaches a stall, the boundary layer separates from the wing. The lack of airflow over the ailerons results in a loss of control authority and mushy and ineffective controls. While takeoff flaps improve performance, they also add unwanted drag.

Stability

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 16, 2024

Planespotters note the F2’s separate ailerons and flaps, conventional tail. But you can see the change to separate ailerons and flaps is just one part of preparing the F2 to grow into a four-place airplanebuying aerodynamic benefits now to spend later on a heavier, more powerful model. Out back, theres an entirely new tail.

Rudder

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

But it was apparent the smallest Grumman flying boat was too small and full of quirks—the cabin door won’t open if the flaps are down, for example—to justify something approaching a direct copy. The airfoil is a Harry Riblett shape, giving modernized flow separation on the leading edge for a soft stall yet with good lift and drag performance.

Airplanes