Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

A tailless aircraft is a fixed-wing airplane without a horizontal stabilizing surface. With this type of aircraft, the functions of longitudinal stability and control are incorporated into the main wing. A tailless airplane is one where everything needed to fly, like lift, control, and stability, is built into the main wing.

Tail 52

Tail Airplanes Weight-Shift-Control Drag 52

WayMan

MAY 25, 2025

Wings: The Source of Lift The wings are what make fixed-wing flight possible. As air moves over the curved top surface of the wing and the flatter bottom, lift is generated, allowing the plane to rise. Regardless of placement, the principle remains the same: wings generate the lift that makes flight possible.

Lift 52

Lift Thrust Tail Horizontal Stabilizer 52

Pilot's Life Blog

MARCH 15, 2024

Generate Lift With Airplane Wings One of the most valuable airplane parts that connect to the fuselage is the wings. The wings work with other sections of an aircraft to increase lift and adjust stalling speed. For example, if the right aileron rises and the left aileron goes down, the aircraft will change directions.

Horizontal Stabilizer 52

Horizontal Stabilizer Aileron Air Traffic Control Lift 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.

Pitot Tube 52

Pitot Tube Drag Lift Airfoil 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 23, 2024

PARE: Power idle, Ailerons neutral, Rudder opposite, Elevator forward. A flat spin happens when the center of gravity shifts too far aft (toward the tail), and the aircraft’s rotation becomes more horizontal. In this situation, the wings aren’t producing enough lift, and the aircraft essentially falls out of the sky while spinning.

Center of Gravity 98

Center of Gravity Weight-Shift-Control Aileron Rudder 98

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

The outer wing generates more lift than the inner wing since it’s temporarily moving faster. Extra lift makes the wing rise. Increased lift on the raised wing immediately creates more induced drag. Placing the center of gravity ahead of the aircraft’s center of lift improves longitudinal stability.

Stability 52

Stability Center of Gravity Aileron Rudder 52

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 12, 2024

This creates boundary layer separation, resulting in a loss of lift. The turbulent air hits the horizontal stabilizer, which causes a vibration that can be felt throughout the aircraft. The lack of airflow over the ailerons results in a loss of control authority and mushy and ineffective controls. You’ve got this.

Stability 52

Stability Horizontal Stabilizer Airplanes Lift 52