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. Lift is generated by the wings, counteracting the force of weight, which pulls the plane down. Ready to experience the skies with us?

Aileron 52

Aileron Drag Rudder Descent 52

Pilot Institute

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

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. Adverse yaw is an undesirable side effect of lift production, resulting in an uncoordinated, slipping turn. What is Adverse Yaw?

Aileron 52

Aileron Drag Rudder Lift 52

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. At that point, you’re simply looking down the runway, and then it lifts off. It’s the rudder that is doing everything.

Airplanes 124

Airplanes Crosswind Tail Cockpit 124

Pilot Institute

MAY 9, 2024

The higher speed creates extra lift, causing the airplane to bank further into the turn. We correct for the overbanking tendency with aileron opposite the turn. The aileron on the right wing deflects down, increasing the camber and creating more lift. The left wing’s aileron deflects up, decreasing lift.

Rudder 52

Rudder Lift Aileron Drag 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

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

In maintaining a properly coordinated steep turn, the pilot must use the opposite aileron to maintain bank. A smaller bank angle will result in more lift, while an increased bank angle will reduce the lift. As an aircraft banks, lift is divided into horizontal and vertical components.

Lift 52

Lift Aileron Drag Pilot 52

Pilot Institute

MARCH 29, 2024

Common mistakes include neglecting clearing turns, delaying stall recovery, and misusing the rudder. Lift : The aerodynamic force generated due to airflow over the wings. The aircraft’s deceleration reduces the airflow over the wings, which reduces lift. So, how do we increase lift to maintain altitude?

Lift 52

Lift Rudder Drag Checkride 52

Pilot's Life Blog

FEBRUARY 11, 2025

Aerodynamic Differences Fixed-Wing Aircraft (Airplanes) Airplanes , or fixed-wing aircraft, generate lift through their stationary wings as they move forward. This pressure difference produces lift, allowing the aircraft to ascend. Each rotor blade acts as an airfoil, and as it rotates, it moves air over its surface, generating lift.

Torque 52

Torque Lift Airplanes Stability 52

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 88

Descent Lift Runway Cockpit 88

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

I watched the stick flutter to and fro in sync with the rudder pedals as Wilkins fought to maintain the centerline, all the while pushing in the throttle. The J-4’s cockpit is wider than the more common J-3, and the second generation brought about the replacement of the open cowl with exposed exhaust ports with a fully enclosed cowl.

Runway 98

Runway Crosswind Rudder Pilot 98

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

Reducing lift puts more weight on the wheels. Use the rudder to keep the aircraft in line with the runway and apply aileron into the wind. You will need more aileron input as you slow down as the controls become less effective. These stick and rudder skills will help you with crosswind landings. Consult your POH.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Runway Approach Density Altitude 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 23, 2024

PARE: Power idle, Ailerons neutral, Rudder opposite, Elevator forward. In this situation, the wings aren’t producing enough lift, and the aircraft essentially falls out of the sky while spinning. The wing cannot produce enough lift to sustain flight at the critical Angle of Attack (stall). Ailerons: Neutral.

Center of Gravity 98

Center of Gravity Weight-Shift-Control Aileron Rudder 98

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.

Lift 52

Lift Thrust Torque Aileron 52

Pilot Institute

JANUARY 8, 2025

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. Now, the wings have to produce more lift to support this weight.

Lift 98

Lift Accelerated Stall Pilot AGL 98

Pilot Institute

APRIL 5, 2024

Your ailerons and rudder will be neutral once you’re in the crab position. We use the rudder to align the aircraft’s longitudinal axis with the centerline. Simultaneously, we apply ailerons opposite the rudder input. The ailerons control our lateral position over the runway.

Crosswind 52

Crosswind Longitudinal Axis Aileron Rudder 52

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. What’s induced drag?

Stability 52

Stability Center of Gravity Aileron Rudder 52

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 6, 2025

This is not the same as a simple stall, which is recoverable by just lifting the nose. Other causes include: Uncoordinated turns : This happens when the rudder and aileron are not properly aligned during a turn. Once the aircrafts nose is lowered, the next step is to apply opposite rudder to counteract the rotational force.

Rudder 52

Rudder Aileron Pilot Turbulence 52

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 12, 2024

This creates boundary layer separation, resulting in a loss of lift. The lack of airflow over the ailerons results in a loss of control authority and mushy and ineffective controls. This requires rudder input to maintain directional control. Be careful because retracting the flaps causes the center of the lift to move forward.

Stability 52

Stability Horizontal Stabilizer Airplanes Lift 52

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 16, 2024

After initial tests, the aircraft underwent several modifications, including a wing sweepback to adjust the center of lift and accommodate the defensive armaments. The aircraft also boasted Gouge-patented flaps that increased lift during landing, improving its water performance by 30 percent.

Center of Gravity 52

Center of Gravity Tail Lift Aileron 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

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. The wing’s dead-smooth surface plus the tight-fitting aileron and flap brackets plus aileron gap seals give the build a professional factory look (left).

Airplanes 77

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 77

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

The ailerons feature a small flow-control trailing-edge flap to enhance roll control. The jaunty vertical fin and rudder enhance the fuselage lines, fitted with a fixed trim tab and aft position light. Baron told us to lift the nose at 50 knots, which proved correct for a takeoff about 900 feet down the runway.

Knot 94

Knot Rudder Airplanes Gross Weight 94