Remove Rudder Remove Runway Remove Weight-Shift-Control
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Examining over 100 years of flight automation and the history of the autopilot

Aerotime

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?

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Approachable Excellence

Plane and Pilot

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. We found six runway overrun accidents.

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How to Improve Your Landings

Pilot Institute

Watch out for some common mistakes, such as over-controlling and reacting incorrectly to visual cues. You can only begin improving the touchdown if you’ve mastered positioning your aircraft above the runway threshold correctly. This lets you set the distance between the aircraft and the runway on the downwind leg.

Descent 52
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Mastering Short Field Landings (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Pilot Institute

Not only must you fly unnervingly slow, but you also have to pick a spot on the runway and hit it. It’s a runway that is too short for a normal takeoff or landing but still usable with certain precautions. This allows them to safely operate into and out of these tight runways. You’re not alone.

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Flying a 1946 Champ With a Sentimental Family Connection

Flying Magazine

He has always loved aviation, noting there are pictures of him as a toddler with a toy aircraft, and he grew up flying line-controlled models. I am happy to report I didnt need a back cushion to reach the rudders, but I took care not to get anywhere near the brakes or let the toes of my sneakers compromise control cables.