Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

The Weather Vane It mostly comes from the vertical stabilizer (fin) and the sides of the fuselage behind the center of gravity. To help you understand this, imagine a weather vane with the CG as the pivot. This setup makes the wing less efficient overall, but it can reduce drag, weight, and cost compared to using a separate tail.

Tail 52

Tail Airplanes Weight-Shift-Control Drag 52

Pilot Institute

MARCH 28, 2025

This horizontal component of lift is called Induced Drag. Its called induced drag since it only exists as a consequence of lift. If youre generating lift, youre stuck with induced drag as well. Increased Drag Moving air around is hard work! That means that the ailerons are not large enough to counter the roll.

Turbulence 97

Turbulence Lift Drag Runway 97

Aerotime

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

These figures are vital for the crew to be able to calculate the actual take-off speed of the airplane in the prevailing weather conditions (as we’ll see later). 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.

Cabin Crew 273

Cabin Crew Runway Clearance Knot 273

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Understanding the Basics of Flight Principles of Flight: Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag Flying a plane for the first time requires a basic understanding of the forces that make flight possible. Thrust, produced by the engines, moves the plane forward, while drag, or air resistance, slows it down.

Aileron 52

Aileron Drag Rudder Descent 52

Flying Magazine

APRIL 26, 2024

To demonstrate this magnificent place, I chose horrendously gusty winds by manually editing the weather in both X-Plane 12 (XP12) and MSFS2020. The small aileron “tabs” were not doing a great job in crosswind ability. Image: Peter James] Using live weather in my first view patterns was wild enough.

Crosswind 105

Crosswind Weather Knot Aileron 105

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.

Pitot Tube 52

Pitot Tube Drag Lift Airfoil 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

Weather, field conditions, obstacles, and many other elements greatly affect short field operations. Full flaps are generally used since they lower approach speed and increase drag. The drag allows for a steeper descent, which is particularly helpful when avoiding obstacles.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Runway Density Altitude Descent 52