Pilot Institute

DECEMBER 31, 2024

Have you ever thought about landing an airplane without using flaps? Think about these scenarios: maybe the flaps stop working, or youre flying an older airplane that doesnt even have them. Flatter approach angle (due to less drag). Note : When landing, avoid forcing the airplane by pushing the nose down or flaring excessively.

Pilot 52

Pilot Drag Descent Approach 52

Vintage Aviation News

APRIL 1, 2025

Early airplane lessons for engineers on low-speed aerodynamics and stability control By using wind tunnel testing to improve their wing designs, the Wright brothers established a standard for contemporary aeronautical research and demonstrated that even basic tests may provide revolutionary findings.

Drag 52

Drag Lift Jet Stability 52

Plane and Pilot

APRIL 18, 2025

If you just let go of the clamp and let it drag, the cable can loop up and tangle itself into a terrible birds nest on the reel that nobody wants to deal with. Know how to hot-start your airplane and/or tow it away before starting: Know the magic combination to getting your engine running after a quick fuel stop.

Pilot 94

Pilot Drag Airplanes Cockpit 94

Vintage Aviation News

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

The airplane, N130Q, was constructed by Douglas at Santa Monica, California in 1943 as a C-53D-DO with serial number 42-68834. For a very thorough and engaging read on the full history of the DC-3 floatplane, including wartime history and the details of the Folsom airplane, we encourage readers to pick up a copy of Jakob H.

Rudder 144

Rudder Airplanes Drag Pilot 144

Simple Flying

MAY 29, 2024

One of the design differences between the two manufacturers is the types of wingtip devices used on airplanes. These are specialized enhancements at the tips of wings to minimize lift-induced drag and increase fuel efficiency in flight. Can you tell the difference between Airbus and Boeing aircraft?

Drag 105

Drag Lift Airplanes 105

Cranky Flier

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

The European regulator EASA is requiring a one-time inspection of all A350 engines to ensure this problem isn’t more widespread beyond Cathay Pacific’s 15 airplanes. ANA ‘s first B777 with low-drag Aeroshark film which supposedly reduces emissions entered service. Air Botswana received its first E175.

Pilot 273

Pilot Threshold Drag Airplanes 273

Plane and Pilot

APRIL 23, 2025

Theres something about the feeling of flying a retractable-gear airplane. Feeling that gentle nudge of acceleration as you retract the gear during climb-out feels great, as does knowing youve got none of that drag slowing you down and increasing fuel burnin cruise. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

Transponder 54

Transponder Airplanes Drag Knot 54

Air Facts

MARCH 5, 2025

The power reduction, the induced drag of the level turn (2 Gs necessary to maintain level flight), and the parasitic drag of the speed-brakes slows the aircraft below the gear-limiting speed of 240 knots. Ali failed both his Initial and Final Progress checks (i.e., he didnt solo); so, he was sent home. Sadly, Ali did not survive.

Pilot 98

Pilot Knot AGL Approach 98

One Mile at a Time

MARCH 21, 2025

He was eventually dragged out of the bathroom. If youre warned after 20 minutes that you need to get out of the bathroom ASAP, and if you then take another 10 minutes, and then still dont leave when youre told to, then I think its safe to say youre not cooperating with the crew. Upon landing, CBP was called, and took him off the plane.

Airline 112

Airline Airlines Approach Pilot 112

Flight Training Central

MAY 7, 2024

As much as it seems sometimes that airplanes fly by magic, it’s important for every pilot to understand at least the basic fundamentals of aerodynamics. The term 'angle of attack' is defined as the angle between the airplane's longitudinal axis and that of the air striking the airfoil. What force makes an airplane turn?

Gross Weight 98

Gross Weight Longitudinal Axis Airfoil Lift 98

Flight Training Central

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Airplane performance can be defined as the capability of an airplane to operate effectively while serving a specific purpose. The result of an alteration in airflow patterns increasing induced drag about the wings of an airplane. Determine the approximate landing ground roll distance. 356 feet.

Density Altitude 105

Density Altitude Knot Ground Effect True Airspeed 105

AV Web

DECEMBER 3, 2024

A pair of aerodynamic researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have created a raptor-inspired drone that uses its tail feathers to control bank, rather than wingtip feathers mimicked by ailerons on airplanes.

Tail 105

Tail Aileron Drag Lift 105

Flight Training Central

MAY 6, 2024

Low wing airplanes were designed by the very devil himself. You don’t have to hang around airports, airplanes or pilots very long until someone will crank up the high wing versus low wing debate. You don’t have to hang around airports, airplanes or pilots very long until someone will crank up the high wing versus low wing debate.

Lift 97

Lift Drag Airplanes Ground Effect 97

Aerotime

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

In the case of certain passengers, a flight may represent the first time they have ever been onboard an airplane, generating feelings of excitement and trepidation in equal measure about what may lie ahead. For others, flying on a commercial airliner may be a once-a-year event when heading off on vacation.

Cabin Crew 271

Cabin Crew Runway Knot Clearance 271

Pilot Institute

MARCH 7, 2025

The larger diameter of a turbofan, including all the additional components, increases the drag and weight of the aircraft. More parts create more components that require regular inspection, servicing, and maintenance.

Thrust 88

Thrust Jet Drag Airline 88

AV Web

DECEMBER 26, 2024

But you have an airplane. AIRCRAFT The old drag-racing sentimenttheres no replacement for displacementalso rings true in personal aviation. Im a strong advocate of using as much airplane for the task as you can afford. If the airplane isnt right for the mission, wishing and hoping itll be OK wont make it better.

Weather 52

Weather Airplanes Pilot Drag 52

Vintage Aviation News

MAY 2, 2025

In 1954 this photo of two swept wing airplanes was taken on the ramp of NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station. The drag chute was used on landings to help brake the airplane’s speed. The Douglas D-558-ll is a research aircraft, while the Boeing B-47A Stratojet is a production bomber and very different in size.

Gross Weight 52

Gross Weight Airfoil Drag Stability 52

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

The airplane rudder is one of the most misunderstood of the primary flight controls. The yaw of the airplane rotates around its vertical axis. The rudder is a movable flight control which is mounted on the trailing edge of the vertical stabilizer on the back of the airplane. Where is the rudder? Now we’ve rotated and in the air.

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Plane and Pilot

APRIL 14, 2025

From 1991-98, the original Nemesis became the winningest airplane in air race history, capturing 45 of 48 events. Nemesis featured a complete carbon fiber airframe, laminar flow wing, and many aerodynamic refinements that allowed it to reach nearly 300 mph.

Airfoil 73

Airfoil Final Approach Drag Tail 73

Pilot Institute

MARCH 13, 2025

They adjust wing camber, thickness, and aspect ratio to balance lift, drag, and stall characteristics for different aircraft roles. Designing for Efficiency While increasing airspeed boosts lift (per Bernoulli), it also increases drag. Engineers try to design wings that maximize lift while minimizing drag.

Pilot 52

Pilot Lift Camber Airfoil 52

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 4, 2024

The smooth, bonded aluminum skin minimizes drag, enabling reasonably quick cruise speeds without the added insurance and maintenance expenses that come with retractable gear. You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance and quickly calculate your monthly payment using the airplane finance calculator.

Drag 92

Drag Knot Approach Airplanes 92

One Mile at a Time

APRIL 7, 2025

But rather than standing up, he instead maybe moved his knees an inch to the side, and motioned for me to climb over him (by pointing a finger along the floor, and sort of dragging it). Like, are airplane norms just different in Colombia (or Latin America at large), was this an isolated incident, or?

Drag 78

Drag Airplanes Pilot Airlines 78

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

For instance, an aircraft maintaining a steady IAS at 30,000 feet will have a faster TAS than at sea level due to reduced drag from thinner air. This means less drag and faster ground speed. Higher altitude, with its lower air density, reduces drag on the aircraft. Also, remember that density decreases with altitude.

True Airspeed 52

True Airspeed Indicated Airspeed Altimeter Lift 52

Plane and Pilot

MARCH 28, 2025

With freshly overhauled Lycoming O-320 engines listed for $40-50,000, it might seem odd that an example with only 59 hours since major overhaul can be purchased for half of that amount with an entire airplane installed around it. Interestingly, the airplane has flaps, which are actuated electrically via a switch on the panel.

Cockpit 83

Cockpit Drag Airplanes Pilot 83

Northstar VFR

JANUARY 8, 2024

By Josh Page, CFI Whenever I’m in an airplane as a passenger or a pilot , I still marvel that this heavy machine can get off the ground, soar through the sky, and land at my destination. Understanding these four forces of flight will help you know how your airplane can actually take off and fly. It’s simply amazing. Simple as that!

Drag 52

Drag Lift Thrust Airplanes 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 2, 2024

When the aircraft is in a high-drag configuration, a stall at a low altitude can be quite dangerous. We practice power-off stalls to help us identify the signs of a stall and the characteristics of your airplane when it stalls. Landing flaps add a lot of drag; removing this notch will help the aircraft accelerate quickly.

Descent 52

Descent Approach AGL Lift 52

Air Facts

JANUARY 13, 2025

The pros and the cons: Cirrus SR22 Air Facts Journal A note on the title: Last time I wrote about a particular airplane (the Cessna 210 ), I titled it Why I love it, why I hate it. Richard Collins memorably wrote about Cirrus pilots in previous articlesboth what they do wrong and what they do right but here Ill focus on the airplane.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Rudder Knot Pilot 98

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

Chapter 4 of the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook is the poster child for this kind of pilot-abusing declamation. Push down more on the gas pedal (throttle in an airplane), go faster. The other option is to give the car (airplane) more gas (throttle) and maintain the same speed going uphill. It’s much the same in an airplane.

Airplanes 90

Airplanes Descent Pilot Altimeter 90

Plane and Pilot

JANUARY 31, 2025

One inch of dry, powdery snow on clean pavement is navigable for most airplanes fitted with standard six-inch tires. So, be prepared to learn just show much of what kinds of snow your particular airplane can negotiate safely. What we could handle last time may not match today’s conditions.

Runway 81

Runway Airplanes Crosswind Drag 81

Cranky Flier

MAY 21, 2024

This just drags on and on. That’s a blow for those in Sacramento who were hoping for a flight, but Southwest did wisely say it would have that airplane continue on to Sacramento as a direct flight. QUASQUICENTENNIAL OF AVIATION. This one is not a study but rather a celebration.

Drag 200

Drag Runway Airplanes 200

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 3, 2024

The resulting low drag enables an 11-to-1 glide ratio, and the later engines, such as this example’s 125 hp Continental IO-240-B, provide a cruise speed of nearly 140 knots while burning only 5.5 You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance and quickly calculate your monthly payment using the airplane finance calculator.

Cockpit 89

Cockpit Drag Knot General Aviation 89

AV Web

OCTOBER 3, 2024

In my mind, I knew that other airplanes had more capacity – my friend Kim and her husband Nick had just flown a few missions in their DeHavilland Beaver, and a trio of C-47s had made runs to some of the communities in need. As the volunteers emptied my airplane, my hopes of sticking around for a few days of missions faded.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Drag Cargo Payload 98

iPad Pilot News

AUGUST 27, 2024

The Estimated Groundspeed shows similar data to help identify the most efficient altitude and also factors in airplane performance.

Flight Plan 98

Flight Plan Groundspeed Runway Drag 98

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 7, 2024

The unique cylindrical design of the fuselage allowed for a streamlined profile and reduced drag, increasing the overall efficiency. These drawbacks included the intubate propeller design, which induced so much aerodynamic drag, and also the aircraft’s top speed proved to be only 81 mph.

Airfoil 98

Airfoil Rudder Drag Stability 98

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 27, 2024

Better to explain an unplanned go-around than to write a big check for a banged-up airplane, or worse. Their airplane has just the right amount of energy, and the picture they see as they flare might as well be the same as their home airport. In fact, the verbal callout “stabilized” is part of the checklist.

Stability 82

Stability Approach Runway Pilot 82

iPad Pilot News

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024

Swipe down from the top right corner for Control Center – The Control Center provides quick access to some of the most commonly used settings, including Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, and screen brightness. Then, tap and drag an app icon to overlay it on the app that’s already open.

Drag 72

Drag Pilot Cockpit Airplanes 72

Pilot Institute

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

The lift and drag imbalance between the left and right ailerons creates adverse yaw. This creates more lift and drag on the upgoing wing (left) and less on the downgoing (right) wing. The differential lift and drag are the main causes of adverse yaw. Any increase in lift causes induced drag to increase as well.

Aileron 52

Aileron Drag Rudder Lift 52