Crosswind Drag Turbulence 
Pilot Institute
MARCH 28, 2025
By far the strongest component of wake turbulence is the swirling air generated at the tips of the aircrafts wings. Key Takeaways Wingtip vortices, not engine exhaust, create the strongest wake turbulence. Wake turbulence can cause severe roll and structural damage to smaller aircraft. How Are Wingtip Vortices Formed?
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. The problem is that the aileron can only be deflected to a point after which the drag becomes significant. The downward moving aileron produces more lift, but also generates more induced drag.
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Flying Magazine
JULY 8, 2025
They include: Proper flight preparation procedures, including preflight planning and preparation, powerplant operation, and aircraft systems Taxiing or surface operations, including runups Takeoffs and landings, including normal and crosswind Straight and level flight and turns in both directions Climbs and climbing turns Airport traffic patterns, (..)
Pilot's Life Blog
JANUARY 5, 2025
Wind shear, turbulence, or gusty winds can create challenges during the landing phase, so knowing how to adjust for these factors is critical. Managing the critical engine, which is the engine closest to the aircrafts wingtip, is key to reducing drag and maintaining control.
Flying Magazine
APRIL 26, 2024
The small aileron “tabs” were not doing a great job in crosswind ability. As is often the case with swept-wing jets, sometimes extra drag is required beyond gear and flaps. Landing was wild, leading to the aircraft’s big wings striking the ground at times in the crosswinds approaching 35 knots. This was in XP12.
Plane and Pilot
AUGUST 27, 2024
Add in some crosswind and turbulence from preceding aircraft, and these arrivals can get a bit hairy. It reminds us that just as low, dragged-in approaches are bad, a steeper-than-normal approach has equal potential to cause unsafe touchdowns and landings.
Airspeed Junkie
AUGUST 2, 2024
Other modifications include flap gap seals that reduce drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency, and a nose wheel pant that encloses the lower nose strut for better aerodynamics. The reliability of the Cessna 172 shines through in various flight conditions, including crosswinds and turbulence.
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