Pilot Institute

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

That’s called “adverse yaw”, it’s a sneaky little quirk of flying that every pilot has to learn how to manage. The lift and drag imbalance between the left and right ailerons creates adverse yaw. A pilot can prevent adverse yaw by using rudder, and making sure that a turn is coordinated. Uh oh, what just happened?

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Aileron Drag Rudder Lift 52

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

It’s a rite of passage for pilots-in-training to hear these words come from their flight instructor repeatedly. The pilot can control the yawing of the plane by inputs on the rudder pedals. Some new student pilots think the rudder and vertical stabilizer are the same thing. The pilot controls the throttle to create thrust.

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Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Pilot Institute

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

Steep turns should be one of the most fun maneuvers pilots learn. But for many pilots, flying coordinated turns while keeping altitude and speed steady is hard enough. In maintaining a properly coordinated steep turn, the pilot must use the opposite aileron to maintain bank.

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Lift Aileron Drag Pilot 52

Pilot's Life Blog

MARCH 15, 2024

One of the first things an aspiring pilot learns in flight school is the various sections of an aircraft. If you’re wondering how to become a commercial pilot in Arizona , this in-depth guide to important aircraft parts will help in your pursuit. Contact our flight instructors today for more information about enrolling.

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Horizontal Stabilizer Aileron Air Traffic Control Lift 52

Flying Magazine

APRIL 26, 2024

The small aileron “tabs” were not doing a great job in crosswind ability. I imagine this is how a real CRJ pilot must feel. I imagine MD80-style pilots are used to the same sensation. As is often the case with swept-wing jets, sometimes extra drag is required beyond gear and flaps. Taking off in violent winds was a task.

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Crosswind Weather Knot Aileron 105

Pilot Institute

MAY 9, 2024

Despite the easygoing name, many pilots find lazy eights harder than they thought. There’s a reason why it’s been a commercial pilot practical test staple for decades. If you’re about to begin your commercial pilot journey, you’ve come to the right place! This drag imbalance amplifies the adverse yaw.

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Rudder Lift Aileron Drag 52

Pilot Institute

MARCH 29, 2024

Key Takeaways Slow flight trains pilots to handle the aircraft at speeds just above stalling. That’s why it’s crucial for pilots to learn aircraft control at low speeds. Additionally, both private and commercial pilot checkrides require the demonstration of slow flight. Pilots use reference stalling speeds instead.

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Lift Rudder Drag Checkride 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

And ice doesn’t just make things slippery, it messes with the airflow over the wings, cuts down on lift, and ramps up drag. This leads to a serious loss of lift and an increase in drag. This roughness adds to friction drag, which can reduce lift and increase drag by as much as 50% on a wing’s leading edge and upper surface.

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Pitot Tube Drag Lift Airfoil 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

Short field landings are a true test of a pilot’s skill. They are also one of the most feared maneuvers during the private pilot checkride. Whether you’re new to short field landings or a pilot needing a refresher, this essential guide is for you. Feeling overwhelmed by this challenging maneuver?

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Weight-Shift-Control Runway Density Altitude Descent 52

Pilot Institute

JULY 12, 2024

Even the best of pilots can mess up sometimes. But for new pilots, it can be tough to figure out where it all went wrong. A stabilized approach requires the pilot to establish and maintain a constant angle glidepath towards an aiming point. You can find them in the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) or the owner’s manual.

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Descent Weight-Shift-Control Crosswind Runway 52

Pilot Institute

APRIL 12, 2025

Newton’s Third Law helps pilots and engineers improve flight safety and aircraft performance. If the pilot increases the wings angle of attack too much, the airflow can separate from the wings surface, causing a stall – an abrupt loss of lift. What does Newtons Third law tell pilots about thrust?

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Lift Torque Thrust Aileron 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 8, 2025

Belly landings, while rare, can happen to any pilot. This could be the result of pilot error or mechanical failure, but knowing how to handle landing gear failure can mean everything. Most belly landings are preventable through proper checklist use and pilot awareness. What Is a Belly Landing? But how does this happen?

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Air Traffic Control Runway Pilot Approach 52

Vintage Aviation News

APRIL 26, 2024

At the controls was a 27-year-old former USAF fighter pilot determined to capture the spirit of the barnstormers and pioneer aviators, of the wind in the wires and the carefree “pick a field and land for the night” era. This latter work chronicled Bach’s adventure with friends touring the U.S.

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Airplanes Aileron Tail Hangar 105

Air Facts

OCTOBER 23, 2024

Panic, and How To Not Air Facts Journal If you meet a pilot who answers “No” to the question “Have you ever panicked while flying?,” I and some other pilots have kind of “made up” for your lack of panic, you heroic, stoic, seasoned, steady pilot, you, you pillar of mental strength, winged god. watch them closely. Conceited.

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Runway Aileron Pilot Approach 98

Pilot Institute

APRIL 5, 2024

Landing an airplane is not easy, even for experienced pilots. Why Crosswind Landings Aren’t Easy Ideally, pilots want the wind to hit the aircraft dead on the nose while landing. If the pilot makes no corrections, the aircraft gets blown off the runway centerline. Simultaneously, we apply ailerons opposite the rudder input.

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Crosswind Longitudinal Axis Aileron Rudder 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

Large aircraft use yaw dampers while small aircraft rely on piloting techniques to counter Dutch roll. Increased lift on the raised wing immediately creates more induced drag. What’s induced drag? The higher drag on the raised wing reduces its speed relative to the lower wing. Dutch rolls are usually not dangerous.

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Stability Center of Gravity Aileron Rudder 52

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 12, 2024

Power-off stalls can be anxiety-inducing for student pilots when they first experience them. As a result, a power-on stall is nerve-wracking for student pilots because it features a very high pitch angle, especially with full engine power. There are very obvious indications the pilot receives of an impending stall.

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Stability Horizontal Stabilizer Airplanes Lift 52

Flying Magazine

MAY 6, 2025

Adventurous aerobatic pilot Frank Christensen, owner of Christen Industries, which built the Pitts Special series and the Christen Eagle II aerobatic biplane kit, watched as biplane sales fell during the early 1980s. In 1995, businessman, backcountry, and aerobatic pilot Stu Horn bought the company and changed its name to Aviat Aircraft Inc.

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Gross Weight Horizontal Stabilizer Airplanes Rudder 78

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

When spelled geoduck it represents a grotesque, oversized mollusk, or clam to we pilot simpletons. Much depends on the aircraft’s weight, pilot skill and, surprisingly, “how much abuse you want to experience. Checking the oil is the main attraction to the pilot. The airplane will handle more than you want to.”

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Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 79

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. More lessons learned. Well see about that.

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Rudder Airplanes Aileron Crosswind 98

Photographic Logbook

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

Though renowned for its maneuverability, the Triplane struggled to pull away from the Camel, fighting against the fundamental drag of its triple tiered wings. The year was 2024, but those aerial knights piloted steeds whose original designs first emerged from draftsmen's tables over a century earlier. He was joined by two friends.

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Airplanes Runway Pilot Aileron 59