Remove Checkride Remove Descent Remove Drag
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The Easy Way to Start Your Journey as a Pilot

Pilot Institute

In most flight schools, the practical flight training portion will follow a set progression: Basic aircraft control : Learning to fly straight and level, make turns, and perform climbs and descents. Private Pilot License : Take a checkride to receive your license. Checkride : $400-$600. Instructor time : $50-$75 per hour.

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What Is Ground Effect?

Pilot Institute

Your wings don’t create as much drag as they would at higher altitudes, which gives you extra lift. Key Takeaways Ground effect increases an aircraft’s lift and decreases drag. Secondly, drag decreases due to the ground disturbing the wingtip vortices, causing induced drag. It’s not magic—it’s ground effect.

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How to Master Slow Flight (Step-By-Step)

Pilot Institute

Additionally, both private and commercial pilot checkrides require the demonstration of slow flight. Drag : The aerodynamic force opposing the aircraft’s forward motion. This increases lift but comes at the cost of increased induced drag. Pilots must counteract the additional drag with more thrust to maintain altitude.

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

Pilot Institute

They are also one of the most feared maneuvers during the private pilot checkride. Any substantial changes to speed and descent rate will destabilize the landing. Full flaps are generally used since they lower approach speed and increase drag. Power controls the rate of descent, and pitch controls airspeed.

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How to Fly Perfect Lazy Eights

Pilot Institute

Lazy eights sound like the least challenging commercial checkride maneuver to learn. It’s just S-turns with climbs and descents, right? While the tilting lift vectors are an important source of adverse yaw, drag also plays a part. Any time a wing creates lift, it creates induced drag.

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How to Make a Perfect Soft Field Landing Every Time

Pilot Institute

Going into a checkride (or a grass strip) without solid soft field skills is asking for trouble. However, the increased drag might make it impossible to take off again. High-wing aircraft might need more power or pitch to arrest the descent. This does two things: it keeps the load on the wings and increases drag.

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How to Perform a Go-Around (The Right Way)

Pilot Institute

It helps reduce the chances of a stall and puts you in a better position to arrest the descent and start your climb out. Pitch for Climb The next immediate action is to arrest the descent. After adding full power and arresting the descent, the next step is to retract the flaps.