Aerotime

APRIL 3, 2025

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?

Weight-Shift-Control 305

Weight-Shift-Control Cockpit Pilot Stability 305

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. Have you ever wondered how pilots keep control at high speeds, during stalls, or even when systems fail? Key Takeaways Ailerons control the aircrafts roll by adjusting lift on each wing.

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 23, 2024

Key Takeaways A flat spin is a dangerous, level-flight spin with reduced control effectiveness. An aft center of gravity increases flat spin risk. A flat spin happens when the center of gravity shifts too far aft (toward the tail), and the aircraft’s rotation becomes more horizontal.

Center of Gravity 98

Center of Gravity Weight-Shift-Control Aileron Rudder 98

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 22, 2024

Otherwise, our maintenance guys’ corrosion control team would rip me a new one. Besides, we had our hands full, fighting to maintain control of the airplane. That meant balancing aerodynamic forces on the flight controls with a large “trim wheel” linked by cables to tabs on the aft edge of our horizontal tail.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Tail Cargo Airplanes 52