Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

(Wright State University) The original configuration of the Bell Model 68 was an open cockpit all-metal monoplane with fixed landing gear that was powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engines with thrust deflectors located at the aircraft’s center of gravity.

Thrust 59

Thrust Center of Gravity Descent Pilot 59

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Additional Dangers of Ice Accumulation Icing also makes your aircraft heavier and can even change the position of the center of gravity. Well, while frost isn’t as dangerous as clear ice, it can still block your view through the cockpit window. With thicker accumulations and irregular shapes, drag can get up to two times worse!

Pitot Tube 52

Pitot Tube Drag Lift Airfoil 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The pilot is able to control the aircrafts roll by turning the control yoke or sidestick in the cockpit. This shifts the ailerons Center of Gravity (C.G.) The resulting loss of lift leads to a rapid descent by the aircraft. Roll or bank is the aircrafts movement about its longitudinal axis.

Aileron 87

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 87

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 22, 2024

We strapped into the cockpit, completed routine checks and procedures, started the engines, and taxied to the end of the runway. Descent check!” That one-ton shift of weight drastically altered the aircraft’s center of gravity, unbalancing my landing trim setting. I called, setting up to land.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Tail Cargo Airplanes 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

After squeezing through the landing gear houses I settled into the right seat for our evaluation flights because frankly, this is a complex airplane with a complex cockpit. Nudging it back to center slid the ball a diameter the other way—trying to corral it in the middle was a bit pointless as it didn’t want to live there.

Airplanes 79

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 79