Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

A tailless aircraft may still have a fuselage and a vertical tail (fin and rudder). This setup makes the wing less efficient overall, but it can reduce drag, weight, and cost compared to using a separate tail. High aspect ratio wings reduce drag and improve performance during climb or slow flight. Why does this matter?

Tail 52

Tail Airplanes Weight-Shift-Control Drag 52

Vintage Aviation News

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

As a landplane, it flew for Eastern Airlines after conversion to DC-3B specification until 1952 as N86562, before passing through a series of other civilian owners. “It’s heavier, it has a lot more drag, but it still flies like a DC-3,” he begins. In 1986, N130Q was acquired by HBF, Inc.,

Rudder 144

Rudder Airplanes Drag Pilot 144

WayMan

MAY 25, 2025

While commercial airliners are made up of millions of individual components, the foundation of every airplanewhether a Boeing jet or a training aircraft like a Cessna 172 starts with the same key parts. The rudder helps control yaw (left or right movement of the nose), while the elevator manages pitch (up or down movement of the nose).

Lift 52

Lift Thrust Tail Horizontal Stabilizer 52

Aerotime

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

For others, flying on a commercial airliner may be a once-a-year event when heading off on vacation. We will now begin our tour through a commercial airline flight, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey! Welcome onboard For some people, traveling by air has become purely routine, much like traveling by bus or train.

Cabin Crew 271

Cabin Crew Runway Clearance Knot 271

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

From simple mechanical linkages in small aircraft to high-tech fly-by-wire systems in airliners, ailerons have evolved with aviation itself. Adverse yaw is a side effect of aileron use, countered by rudder input. The problem is that the aileron can only be deflected to a point after which the drag becomes significant.

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Air Facts

JANUARY 13, 2025

No rudder trim. Like the lack of nose wheel steering, the lack of rudder trim has always bothered me. Sure, theres a yaw damper on most SR22s and that can mostly do the job, and sure, lack of rudder trim keeps the airplane simpler, but there is a hidden cost here. The engine runs hot.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Rudder Knot Pilot 98

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 18, 2024

Chris had arrived from Austin, Texas, on the airline flight into Juneau a few days earlier. He had to drag out his tent and spend the night waiting for the next high tide to release him from his predicament. Quickly dropping the water rudders, I reduced the throttle to idle, giddy with the release from our muddy prison.

Airplanes 89

Airplanes Torque Tail Pilot 89