Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Understanding the Basics of Flight Aerodynamics 101 Flying a small plane revolves around understanding four key forces: lift, thrust, drag, and weight. Thrust, produced by the engine, propels the plane forward, overcoming drag, which is the resistance caused by air. These forces must work in harmony to maintain flight stability.

Weather 52

Weather Pilot Drag Rudder 52

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Understanding the Basics of Flight Principles of Flight: Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag Flying a plane for the first time requires a basic understanding of the forces that make flight possible. Thrust, produced by the engines, moves the plane forward, while drag, or air resistance, slows it down.

Aileron 52

Aileron Drag Rudder Descent 52

Vintage Aviation News

APRIL 26, 2024

“Before the Parks was completely disassembled for restoration, I enjoyed reading passages from some of these books while sitting in the aft cockpit. It made its way to Lumberton lawyer Evander Munn Britt Jr., who in 1964 traded it to Richard Bach for the latter’s recently-rebuilt, “modern” 1946 Fairchild F-24.

Airplanes 105

Airplanes Aileron Tail Hangar 105

AV Web

JANUARY 22, 2025

Most accounts point outcorrectlyhow decisions about spacing and glide path management, and even whether it was wise to hold the pick-up game contest in winds that caused cancellation of a larger, planned STOL Drag event, may have contributed to this crash. Mayday STOL Drag Races, a slow-flight competition. Those lessons are all valid.

Final Approach 52

Final Approach Airplanes Drag Pilot 52

Plane and Pilot

JANUARY 7, 2025

She flew like a big, lumbering Cub of sorts, complete with a wooden rudder bar, tall wooden stick, and instruments that seemed like they were straight out of World War One. Originally used as a trainer in World War II, the Stearman features a tandem, open cockpit with forgiving, yet challenging flight characteristics.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Tail Pilot Jet 98

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 29, 2024

Lead banked and wagged his rudder, signaling us to maneuver back into a spread formation. All cockpit gauges confirmed critical systems were humming and happy. It felt like we were dragging an 18-wheeler truck! We flew directly over the target, roughly 10,000 ft. above the impending firestorm and outside anti-aircraft gun range.

Drag 52

Drag Thrust Pilot Rudder 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 2, 2024

So when you’re in the cockpit, you’ll know exactly what to do. When the aircraft is in a high-drag configuration, a stall at a low altitude can be quite dangerous. Maintain Control and Increase Airspeed It’s important that you add right rudder to neutralize the aircraft’s left-turning tendencies.

Descent 52

Descent Approach AGL Lift 52

Jetwhine

JANUARY 17, 2024

You’d think pilot problems would be all about stick-and-rudder skills here,” he said. They need to know the L–39’s systems and our profiles cold when they walk in the door.” -built fighter jet—including the narrow and mildly pressurized (4 psi) cockpit. Hold full right rudder and gently grab the handbrake. Need a right turn?

Knot 52

Knot Rudder Pilot Jet 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Adverse yaw is a side effect of aileron use, countered by rudder input. The pilot is able to control the aircrafts roll by turning the control yoke or sidestick in the cockpit. The problem is that the aileron can only be deflected to a point after which the drag becomes significant. What Is an Aileron?

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

Winging It Aside from the aforementioned desire for a greater aspect ratio for reduced drag, the one-piece Gweduck wing was developed for minimal weight, ease of construction and benign handling. Keeping drag corralled was emphasized as the Gweduck mission is foremost long-distance cruising. Maintenance room is generally very good.

Airplanes 77

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 77

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 16, 2024

With the F2, the rudder and vertical stabilizer are changed, with the rudder becoming a much smaller surface than before. You can sit there with full back stick, full aileron one way and full rudder the other, and its perfectly controllable. You might ask what happens with crosswind landings when you take away rudder authority.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Rudder Aileron Crosswind 98

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 5, 2025

Cockpit Layout and Avionics The cockpit of the Piper Seminole is designed for ease of use and accessibility, with flight instruments arranged for quick scanning. Managing the critical engine, which is the engine closest to the aircrafts wingtip, is key to reducing drag and maintaining control.

Descent 52

Descent Final Approach Approach Runway 52