Crosswind Drag Rudder 
Fear of Landing
FEBRUARY 7, 2025
A poster on PPRuNe asked about the landing conditions: Is it pretty much standard for operators of this particular aircraft type in the UK to land in 35 knot crosswinds on 1800m wet runways? They came down crabbing, a technique used to counteract the effect of the crosswind. The responses were characteristically blunt.
Northstar VFR
JULY 21, 2024
More right rudder!!” The airplane rudder is one of the most misunderstood of the primary flight controls. Yet the rudder is one of the most important and one of the most under-utilized. The rudder’s most important function is controlling the yaw of the aircraft, which moves the nose of the plane left and right.
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Pilot's Life Blog
JANUARY 12, 2025
Understanding the Basics of Flight Aerodynamics 101 Flying a small plane revolves around understanding four key forces: lift, thrust, drag, and weight. Thrust, produced by the engine, propels the plane forward, overcoming drag, which is the resistance caused by air. These forces must work in harmony to maintain flight stability.
Pilot Institute
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
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. Adverse yaw is created due to the drag differential between the two sides of the aircraft. This is where the rudder comes in.
Pilot's Life Blog
JANUARY 5, 2025
Managing the critical engine, which is the engine closest to the aircrafts wingtip, is key to reducing drag and maintaining control. Proper coordination of throttle, trim, and rudder inputs are critical during this phase of flight. Failing to anticipate gusts or crosswinds can make your landing unstable.
Pilot Institute
MAY 9, 2024
While the tilting lift vectors are an important source of adverse yaw, drag also plays a part. Any time a wing creates lift, it creates induced drag. In our example, the right wing has more lift, and thus more drag, than the left wing as the airplane rolls. This drag imbalance amplifies the adverse yaw.
Pilot Institute
JULY 12, 2024
Flying the Base Leg All aircraft land into the wind, so the base leg usually involves some crosswind. The crosswind can push you out and mess up your glidepath if you’re not careful. It’s tempting to increase the bank angle and add some rudder to rotate the aircraft. Use the rudder pedals to maintain centerline.
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