Pilot's Life Blog

JUNE 18, 2025

Wing Low (Sideslip) Method This technique involves lowering the wing into the wind and using the opposite rudder to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway. The lowered wing counters the wind drift, while the rudder maintains directional control. Use rudder inputs to keep the aircraft tracking straight as you slow down.

Crosswind

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

At first glance, ailerons look like ordinary hinged panels on the wings, but don’t be fooledthey’re important for keeping an aircraft both stable and maneuverable. But theres much more to ailerons than just rolling left or right. Or how do modern airplanes reduce dangerous effects like aileron flutter or adverse yaw?

Aileron

Pilot Institute

APRIL 12, 2025

Lets break down the main control surfaces and how they use action-reaction: Ailerons Ailerons are flaps placed on the wings trailing edges. They allow roll control about the aircrafts longitudinal axis. They work in opposite pairs: when one aileron goes up, the other goes down. This is where the rudder comes in.

Torque

Pilot Institute

APRIL 5, 2024

Touching down with the aircraft’s longitudinal axis aligned with the runway. 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. We call this de-crabbing.

Crosswind