Air Facts

JUNE 6, 2025

With its sleek, cantilever wing and raked tail, it seemed like a step up from the more pedestrian Skyhawk. With a couple of strong backs pushing down on the tail, we raised the nose and found the culprit: the nose wheel had jammed in the wheel well due to a broken torque link bolt. We caught a few other breaks too.

Runway 52

Runway Torque Groundspeed Airplanes 52

Flight Training Central

JANUARY 27, 2025

From misjudging the flare to battling crosswinds, these mistakes can challenge pilots of all experience levels. As the airplane contacts the ground, the tail will be forced down very rapidly by the back-elevator pressure and by inertia acting downward on the tail.

Airplanes 89

Airplanes Runway Accelerated Stall Lift 89

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

As air flows over it, a force like lift results, and the tail is pulled in the opposite direction of the deflection. But instead of an upward force of lift on a wing, it’s a horizontal force pushing the tail of the plane causing the nose of the plane to move left and right. This is especially vital during crosswind landings.

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The rotational force thats needed to move an object about an axis is called torque. The simplest formula for torque is: Torque = F x L L is the distance between the object and the axis of rotation, also called the moment arm. Most of the ailerons mass lies behind the hinge, making it tail-heavy.

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Pilot Institute

APRIL 12, 2025

The complication with helicopters is that the main rotor is driven by an engine that applies a twisting force (torque) to spin it. This is called torque reaction, and if its left unchecked, the helicopter fuselage will spin in the opposite direction of the main rotor. These rotors create equal and opposite torques that cancel out.

Lift 52

Lift Torque Thrust Aileron 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

True, a slightly higher aspect ratio wing was desired, which in turn required a larger vertical tail and thus a little extra mass, but the size, approximately 20% larger than a Widgeon, was set. Another advantage of the counter-rotating props is the elimination of torque roll. A not so obvious advantage is taxiing.

Airplanes 79

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 79