Aerotime

APRIL 3, 2025

Largely gone are the days when pilots had to manually control their aircraft from engine start-up to shut down by keeping their hands rigidly fixed on the controls at all times. As a result, the first autopilot was developed to introduce an element of control on the trajectory of airplanes. What is an autopilot?

Weight-Shift-Control 298

Weight-Shift-Control Cockpit Pilot Stability 298

Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

Have you ever seen an airplane with no tail and no vertical fin, but with just a sleek wing? How does it turn or climb without the usual control surfaces? They prove that with the right aerodynamic tricks, you dont need a tail to fly. Despite their lack of horizontal control surfaces, tailless aircraft are designed to be stable.

Tail 52

Tail Airplanes Weight-Shift-Control Drag 52

Plane and Pilot

MAY 3, 2025

Lets go back to that time in postwar GA when the sands shifted quickly. The Ercoupe was designed with only two controls, roll and pitch, so it couldnt be kicked out in a crosswindit had to withstand landing in a crab. There were 23 runway loss of control (RLOC) events. The rich can dream of jets and warbirds.

Approach 73

Approach Airplanes Stability Weight-Shift-Control 73

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

These control surfaces dictate the aircraft’s roll, and this allows it to bank smoothly through turns or even recover from turbulence. Have you ever wondered how pilots keep control at high speeds, during stalls, or even when systems fail? Key Takeaways Ailerons control the aircrafts roll by adjusting lift on each wing.

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 23, 2024

Key Takeaways A flat spin is a dangerous, level-flight spin with reduced control effectiveness. 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.

Center of Gravity 98

Center of Gravity Weight-Shift-Control Aileron Rudder 98

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 22, 2024

Otherwise, our maintenance guys’ corrosion control team would rip me a new one. Besides, we had our hands full, fighting to maintain control of the airplane. That meant balancing aerodynamic forces on the flight controls with a large “trim wheel” linked by cables to tabs on the aft edge of our horizontal tail.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Tail Cargo Airplanes 52