Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

A tailless airplane is one where everything needed to fly, like lift, control, and stability, is built into the main wing. In level flight, the aircraft is adjusted so that the wingtips dont add lift. Elevons and Control Surfaces An ingenious solution is to combine the elevator and aileron, which gives you: the elevon.

Tail

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

At Leopard Aviation , we teach steep turns as a core part of pilot training because they build essential skills like coordination, control, and situational awareness. Fundamentals of Steep Turns Steep turns are a fundamental maneuver that every pilot must master to improve control, coordination, and overall flying precision.

Pilot

Fear of Landing

JULY 11, 2025

Like the comment above you says, there would be great risk of a wingtip hitting the ground if it tried to make up for having no rudder with ailerons or body roll, etc. The most practical solution was to make the gear swivel so pilots could land the f *r sideways while using engine thrust to counteract the force of the crosswind.

Crosswind

Plane and Pilot

MARCH 25, 2025

I dont exactly fit the standard pilot profile of Game Aerospaces GB1 GameBird But theres always been something about the GameBird that has piqued my interest. Its first-class team, led by Ian Waghorn, ensures that pilots leave the training program feeling confident, competent, and safe in their new or new-to-them GameBird.

Knot

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 9, 2025

Wing Control: Flaps, slats, and ailerons change the chord line, impacting lift and control. There are many styles of the wing, including: Straight wings Swept wings Delta Wings Elliptical wings Tapered Straight Wing These wings all generate lift. This area is called the center of the lift. Heres a quick recap.

Center of Gravity

Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

Slow Flight Slow flight is one of the key types of aircraft maneuvers every student pilot should learn because it teaches how the plane behaves near stall speeds and how to maintain control with reduced airflow over the wings. Normal Takeoff and Landing: Students learn the standard procedures to smoothly lift off and touch down.

Pilot

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Let us take you from first-time flyer to skilled pilot with personalized instruction designed for beginners like you. 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.

Aileron

Pilot Institute

MARCH 24, 2025

Once the airplane has reached a point where it nearly stalls or loses lift, youll initiate a pivot or turn. How to Execute a Stall Turn To execute a stall turn, the pilot enters a vertical climb with full power, which will cause the airspeed to drop. The aircraft doesnt actually stall because it pivots before it loses too much lift.

Rudder

Northstar VFR

JUNE 8, 2025

Unusual attitudes are so dangerous because it doesn’t take long for the pilot to become disoriented, making the problem worse, and getting the plane into one or more of these upset conditions. Icing : Ice can build up on the control surfaces, causing loss of smooth airflow and lift.

Turbulence

Vintage Aviation News

MARCH 5, 2025

The FG-1D Corsair is lifted into position back in 1971. That year, however, saw the airframe and a set of wings being donated to the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut so it could be transformed into a memorial honoring the pilots who flew Corsairs in combat. It would remain there for the next 37 years. CASC Photo. It was in sad shape.

Rudder

WayMan

MAY 25, 2025

For anyone training to become a pilot or aviation technician, understanding the anatomy of an aircraft is one of the first essential steps. Wings: The Source of Lift The wings are what make fixed-wing flight possible. Regardless of placement, the principle remains the same: wings generate the lift that makes flight possible.

Lift

Pilot Institute

APRIL 12, 2025

Lift is the force that aircraft use to counter gravity. Newton’s Third Law is one of the key laws of physics that explains lift. Lets see what Newtons Third Law is, and why we need it to understand lift. This principle is fundamental in generating lift, thrust, and maneuverability, allowing aircraft to fly.

Torque

Plane and Pilot

JUNE 15, 2025

Piper PA-28-180 Riverside, California/Injuries: 1 Minor NTSB Report: WPR23LA156 The pilot completed the airplane’s engine run-up and carburetor heat function checks with no anomalies noted. The pilot initiated a forced landing straight ahead in a field. The owner reported that he discussed the turbocharger operation with the pilot.

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 8, 2025

Every pilot must master stall recognition and recovery techniques. Stalls Cause a Loss of Lift A stall is not related to engine failure. This misunderstanding can lead to confusion and, in some cases, accidents, as some pilots concentrate on engine performance instead of addressing the actual problem, a loss of lift.

Lift

Plane and Pilot

JULY 22, 2025

As pilots, we have a certain luxury that many do not—to escape the confines of earth for fleeting moments of peace and disconnection. Consider yourself to be in the rarer class of today’s modern pilot. Originally built to train pilots for World War II, the company lost the official training contract to the Boeing PT-17 Stearman.

Runway

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 23, 2024

A flat spin is a thrilling (and potentially dangerous) flight phenomenon that pilots must prepare for. In reality, flat spins can challenge even experienced pilots, making it important for you to understand what they are and how to handle them. Ready to become a safer pilot? Ailerons: Neutral. Let’s get started!

Center of Gravity

Air Facts

JULY 7, 2025

After my flight with the DPE, I became a private pilot. In the months that followed, I added an instrument rating, which helped me deepen my knowledge and have more nuanced conversations with instructors and fellow pilots. To maintain altitude in the turn, the airplane needs extra lift, which increases the load on the wings.

Rudder

AV Web

APRIL 15, 2025

Student pilots get a free pass, because theyre adorable skittering off runways in Loss of Directional Control (LODC) events that vex the best among us. But assumptions spiraled for this private pilot in a 1953 Bell 47D helicopter (think M.A.S.H) With lateral options dwindling, the Bell 47D went into a vertical lift.

Pilot

Plane and Pilot

JULY 16, 2025

We were airline pilots with screwdrivers, just hoping to be more help than hindrance. In the meantime, Nick and the other Dave had pulled the ailerons, and by the time Monday rolled around, we were ready to remove the engines. Paul Le Veque, an Albatross pilot, restorer, and mechanic joined us for engine day.

Firewall

Flying Magazine

MAY 1, 2024

Otto Lilienthal did it by shifting his weight, but for the much larger Wright Flyer the solution was to make one wing produce more lift than the other by twisting them in opposite directions. Despite the early invention of the aileron, wing warping continued to be used, even on some fighters, as late as 1916.

Aileron

Northstar VFR

OCTOBER 27, 2024

Friends and fellow pilots who had gone before me and passed their commercial checkrides all commented that the commercial checkride was the easiest regarding the oral exam and the practical (flying) portion. Here are 10 questions you may encounter on your commercial pilot oral exam: 1. The FAA isn’t out to get you on your checkride.

Longitudinal Axis

AV Web

OCTOBER 8, 2024

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has responded to numerous requests from members for advice on how best to prepare an aircraft for surviving extreme weather, such as the hurricanes that are savaging the U.S. Check the Pilots Operating Handbook for best advice on whether to set the brakes or not.

Pitot Tube

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?

Aileron

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.

Lift

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 9, 2025

Wing Control: Flaps, slats, and ailerons change the chord line, impacting lift and control. There are many styles of the wing, including: Straight wings Swept wings Delta Wings Elliptical wings Tapered Straight Wing These wings all generate lift. This area is called the center of the lift. Heres a quick recap.

Center of Gravity

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.

Rudder

Plane and Pilot

JUNE 2, 2025

Piper PA-28-180 Riverside, California/Injuries: 1 Minor NTSB Report: WPR23LA156 The pilot completed the airplanes engine run-up and carburetor heat function checks with no anomalies noted. The pilot initiated a forced landing straight head in a field. The owner reported that he discussed the turbocharger operation with the pilot.

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 18, 2024

Storo lifted the British fighter into the air for the first time on June 28, 2022, from Tillamook Municipal Airport near his home. Although it is sort of heavy on the ailerons,” Storo said. ” On takeoff and landing, the pilot’s seat is adjusted to the upward limit of travel. .” 19 Squadron. 6, 1941).

Crosswind

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.

Horizontal Stabilizer

Vintage Aviation News

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Some pilots come to Galesburg, park their airplane and just enjoy the fellowship for the week. The Shipleys are very welcoming and always have an open door for pilots who need a spot to rest, and are some of the friendliest people in aviation. What can you possibly do for a whole week in Galesburg, you might ask.

Tail

Flight Training Central

MARCH 29, 2024

The FAA continues to add new questions based on guidance from the Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards. What are the reporting requirements for a pilot convicted of possessing and selling marijuana? Aileron down on the upwind wing Aileron up on the upwind wing Aileron up on the downwind wing Correct!

Aileron

Pilot's Life Blog

FEBRUARY 11, 2025

Many aspiring pilots wonder whether flying a helicopter is harder than flying a plane. Understanding these differences helps pilots choose the right training path. Whether youre exploring what is an instrument proficiency check or considering advanced training, we ensure every pilot is confident in their journey.

Torque

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

Efforts like this freed male pilots for combat missions, and her dedication led to her appointment as commander of Reading Station. Further complicating matters was the fact that the plane would be delivered by civilian pilots. The post White-Knuckle Affair appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine. Images By Gary Figgins.

Runway

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! The lift imbalance causes the roll.

Rudder

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 5, 2024

With one hand I lifted the back high enough to pull the stick back far enough to stop my dive. I lifted the seat back into place and saw there was a latch to hold it. I then checked all the controls, elevator up and down, ailerons right and left, rudder right and left. Maybe it was just my adrenaline.

Descent

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. So, how do we increase lift to maintain altitude?

Lift

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

It was also the first VTOL aircraft to use a jet thrust diverter system for vertical lift. On February 19, 1957, the Bell X-14 made its first vertical takeoff, with the pilot keeping the aircraft in a hover until making a vertical landing. Fortunately, the pilot in this incident, Ronald M.

Thrust