Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

Have you ever seen an airplane with no tail and no vertical fin, but with just a sleek wing? They prove that with the right aerodynamic tricks, you dont need a tail to fly. A tailless aircraft may still have a fuselage and a vertical tail (fin and rudder). How does the tail do this? Ever wondered how it stays balanced?

Tail 52

Tail Airplanes Weight-Shift-Control Drag 52

Aerotime

APRIL 3, 2025

Flying for extended periods of time at the controls of a basic aircraft was hard physical work, and poor weather or mechanical issues could also add to pilot fatigue on longer flights. As the French mechanic slid himself along the wing of the aircraft, shifting its center of gravity, the aircraft became unbalanced.

Weight-Shift-Control 301

Weight-Shift-Control Cockpit Pilot Stability 301

Plane and Pilot

MAY 3, 2025

I think twice of all the times we’ve flown, we’ve woken up and said, you know what, the weather’s not working out, let’s just drive it, he says. I also like to look for what I call crummy weather thats just low enough that I can get an instrument approach in, but not so much that I don’t have any outs.

Approach 73

Approach Airplanes Stability Weight-Shift-Control 73

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Remember that wings, propeller blades, and tail surfaces are airfoil-shaped. Additional Dangers of Ice Accumulation Icing also makes your aircraft heavier and can even change the position of the center of gravity. Many aircraft have heated leading edges on the wings, tail, and propellers.

Pitot Tube 52

Pitot Tube Drag Lift Airfoil 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 23, 2024

An aft center of gravity increases flat spin risk. A flat spin happens when the center of gravity shifts too far aft (toward the tail), and the aircraft’s rotation becomes more horizontal. Some aircraft can enter flat spins even if their center of gravity is in the normal range.

Center of Gravity 98

Center of Gravity Weight-Shift-Control Aileron Rudder 98

Pilot Institute

MARCH 26, 2024

This tendency is due to their high center of gravity and heavy engine over the nose wheel. If you’re at a field with no weather reporting, gauge the wind speed and direction using the windsock. Make sure not to pull back too hard, or you could cause a tail strike. In extreme cases, a nose-over can occur.

NOTAMs 52

NOTAMs Runway Approach Descent 52

AV Web

MAY 22, 2024

As the former owner of a vintage V-tail Bonanza, I always pay attention when one of them crashes. Both invoke traditional assumptions about V-tails, and even vintage Bonanza lovers like me acknowledge there is at least a grain or two of truth in each. Last week’s tragedy in Tennessee drew particularly wide interest for two reasons.

Tail 105

Tail Instrument Meteorological Conditions Knot Groundspeed 105