Inflight Pilot Training

MARCH 13, 2025

Struggling with Crosswind Landings The Mistake: Many student pilots struggle with crosswind landings due to incorrect rudder use or improper control inputs. Forgetting to apply rudder and aileron corrections simultaneously. How to Avoid It: Practice crosswind landings regularly with your instructor in varying conditions.

Pilot 52

Pilot Crosswind Final Approach Cockpit 52

Plane and Pilot

APRIL 1, 2025

Feet on rudder pedals. I turned crosswind and attempted to shallow the climb. This time, I pulled out some power as I transitioned to the crosswind leg. Lantana Traffic, Pulsar Experimental Four-Five-Six-Lima-Tango taking off, two-seven, Lantana, will stay in the pattern. Throttle all the way in. My shirt was wet.

Runway 62

Runway Gross Weight Airplanes Crosswind 62

Plane and Pilot

MARCH 25, 2025

Although I havent spent much time around GB1s (except for drooling over them while they are on display and flying at airshows) I am always taken aback by how much larger the airplane appears to be in personparticularly, the tall, sweeping rudder that curves down to a sharp point with just enough ground clearance.

Knot 111

Knot Airplanes Runway Rudder 111

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

More right rudder!!” The airplane rudder is one of the most misunderstood of the primary flight controls. Yet the rudder is one of the most important and one of the most under-utilized. The rudder’s most important function is controlling the yaw of the aircraft, which moves the nose of the plane left and right.

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Pilot Institute

APRIL 22, 2025

Use coordinated aileron and rudder pressures to swiftly, but not excessively, angle into this turn. Base to Upwind Leg As your aircraft moves from the downwind leg onto the base leg, the tailwind transforms into a crosswind. Upwind to Crosswind Leg For this leg transition, gently roll into a slight bank.

Crosswind 52

Crosswind Airplanes Aileron Rudder 52

Air Facts

APRIL 9, 2025

Its easy to imagine reading the NTSB report about an influencer on YouTube or Instagram who crashed while livestreaming on final approach (Can I land in a 40-knot crosswind? This is a great way to refresh your stick and rudder skills, practice old fashioned situational awareness, and (no less importantly) have fun.

Weather 98

Weather Airplanes Pilot Cockpit 98

Air Facts

MAY 24, 2024

The only thing that caught my attention was a 90 degree crosswind coming from the east that was gusting to 11 or 12 knots. Turning base to final, I found the crosswind to be gusting as advertised. My left crosswind became left downwind very quickly. Why aren’t you strong on the rudder pedals to steer us on centerline?”

Aileron 98

Aileron Crosswind Knot Runway 98

Plane and Pilot

JULY 9, 2024

The unique H-tail reduces the left-turning tendencies during takeoff while also minimizing the weathervaning effect prevalent in crosswinds. While the original Ercoupes lacked a rudder and rudder pedals entirely, this example has had them installed as an aftermarket kit, making the airplane a bit more familiar for newcomers to fly.

Rudder 87

Rudder Airplanes Crosswind Tail 87

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 18, 2024

You have to use a lot of rudder—I mean you have to be rabid as far as using the rudder to control the airplane, and it wheel lands very nicely.” It’s the rudder that is doing everything. I can control it now with the Red Line Brakes, but this airplane is not built for crosswinds.

Airplanes 124

Airplanes Crosswind Tail Cockpit 124

Flying Magazine

MAY 15, 2024

If utilizing Runway 17 with left traffic, the crosswind turn will be heading 080, downwind 350, base 260, etc. Scenario 4: Crosswinds If only flight instructors could control the weather, we’d have the learners practicing crosswind takeoffs and landings on a regular basis. You may even put the learner in and out of the clouds.

Crosswind 105

Crosswind Airplanes VOR Runway 105

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 10, 2024

Like most homebuilts and many SLSAs, the RV-12 steers on the ground via differential braking, but the good-sized rudder does contribute if you have a bit of wind. The rudder hardly calls attention to itself outside of having plenty of authority. A nuance, perhaps. Right until liftoff, takeoffs are fairly uneventful.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Knot Pitot Tube Gross Weight 98

Pilot's Life Blog

JANUARY 12, 2025

Primary Flight Controls The primary controls of a small plane are the yoke, rudder pedals, and throttle. Rudder pedals help manage yaw, which keeps the aircraft aligned during turns or crosswinds. The throttle controls engine power, determining your speed and altitude adjustments.

Weather 52

Weather Pilot Drag Rudder 52

Thrust Flight

JULY 11, 2024

You’re greasing the landings, your flight instructor has finally stopped chirping on about your insufficient use of the rudder, and the crosswind is blissfully mellow. One day, you’re flying the pattern and feeling pretty good about things. Then, all of a sudden, your CFI says it’s time to taxi back to the ramp.

Crosswind 52

Crosswind Rudder Thrust 52

Inflight Pilot Training

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Your instructor will introduce you to the basic components of the aircraft, including the fuselage, wings, ailerons, rudder, elevator, and landing gear. Youll also practice different types of landings, including touch-and-go landings, and begin adjusting for crosswinds and environmental factors that affect landing performance.

Approach 52

Approach Aileron Visual Flight Rules Rudder 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 29, 2024

Kentland has a 4,000-foot runway, east/west, with a crosswind straight out of the north. When you discover too late that the old rudder lock doesn’t fit the new rudder… The local hardware store had pool noodles, PVC tubing, and rope. The upper Midwest scenery can be spectacular. As I got on downwind, the ADS-B went totally nuts.

Weather 74

Weather Runway Knot Rudder 74

Flight Training Central

MARCH 4, 2024

As the airplane turns onto the following base leg, the tailwind will decrease and becomes a crosswind. The bank angle should be reduced gradually with coordinated aileron and rudder input. The turn from downwind leg to base leg will be more than 90 degrees to compensate for the increasing crosswind.

Groundspeed 52

Groundspeed Crosswind Aileron Rudder 52

Plane and Pilot

JANUARY 23, 2025

Taxiing procedures: Moving the aircraft to the runway involves steering with your feet using the rudder pedals. Although I consider myself somewhat of a fearless adrenaline junkie, watching the wheel just outside my window touch down on the pavement while the other was still suspended as we leaned into a crosswind got my heart racing a bit.

Rudder 97

Rudder Descent Pilot Runway 97

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

I watched the stick flutter to and fro in sync with the rudder pedals as Wilkins fought to maintain the centerline, all the while pushing in the throttle. Once there, he put us in a slight right turn toward our first fuel stop 60 miles ahead, continuously fighting the stick as the gusting left crosswind did its best to push us off course.

Runway 98

Runway Crosswind Rudder Pilot 98

Pilot Institute

JULY 12, 2024

Flying the Base Leg All aircraft land into the wind, so the base leg usually involves some crosswind. The crosswind can push you out and mess up your glidepath if you’re not careful. It’s tempting to increase the bank angle and add some rudder to rotate the aircraft. Use the rudder pedals to maintain centerline.

Descent 52

Descent Weight-Shift-Control Crosswind Runway 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 4, 2024

When I was working on my PPL, I learned crosswind landings proficiently, plenty good enough for the check ride, but we never had an ugly, gusty, strong crosswind landing day. I was telling him how I had just made a whole series of beautiful, one-wheel, crosswind landings. He looked puzzled. Why might that be? Hopefully not.

Crosswind 52

Crosswind Aileron Runway Gross Weight 52

Flight Training Central

JANUARY 27, 2025

From misjudging the flare to battling crosswinds, these mistakes can challenge pilots of all experience levels. Remember that torque will be created as power is applied; therefore, it will be necessary to use rudder pressure to keep the airplane straight as it settles onto the runway.

Airplanes 89

Airplanes Runway Accelerated Stall Lift 89

Pilot Institute

MAY 9, 2024

We counteract adverse yaw by applying rudder in the direction of the turn. The amount of rudder required depends on roll rate and airspeed. Airspeed and attitude change constantly, and we must change rudder input along with them. We apply right rudder to counteract the left-turning tendencies.

Rudder 52

Rudder Lift Aileron Drag 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Adverse yaw is a side effect of aileron use, countered by rudder input. Unlike the elevators and rudder mounted close to the fuselage, the ailerons location at the end of the long, thin, and flexible wings makes them much more prone to flutter. This is where the rudder comes in. What Is an Aileron?

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 16, 2024

If there is a crosswind at the airport, you should mention this in your brief. Discuss your nominated crosswind technique. Explain what aircraft input you will require to land the aircraft in the crosswind. For example, the crosswind is from left to right. You will either carry out the side-slip or de-crab technique.

Airplanes 52

Airplanes Descent Approach Runway 52

Pilot Institute

MAY 4, 2024

Will you need a crosswind correction? Not Applying Crosswind Controls Directional control becomes difficult when proper technique isn’t applied during crosswind conditions. Use the rudder to keep the aircraft in line with the runway and apply aileron into the wind. Almost every landing is a crosswind landing, after all.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Runway Approach Density Altitude 52

Pilot Institute

OCTOBER 13, 2024

You should use the rudder to do this. Use the Rudder In case of a strong crosswind, you can use the crab control or side slip to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway. If you don’t compensate for the wind using the rudder, you may cause the aircraft to bounce sideways or swerve off the runway.

Descent 52

Descent Runway Rudder Pilot 52

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

The 172 has a steerable nosewheel, much heavier than the rudders on my RV-9A with a castering nosewheel. There was a nice crosswind, and I demonstrated landing on a concrete expansion joint, offset from the runway centerline. Not really a problem, as the CFI and I had a great chat for an hour about things aeronautical.

Pitot Tube 80

Pitot Tube Approach Aileron Instrument Landing System 80

Air Facts

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

NTSB ERA22LA169 describes a funny engine noise that prompted an earlier than planned turn to crosswind for an anticipated return to the airport. When power was added, there were brief pitch oscillations before the plane departed the left side of the runway, as if P-factor and lack of right rudder input were present.

Gross Weight 98

Gross Weight Runway Airplanes Pilot 98

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 10, 2024

Like most homebuilts and many SLSAs, the RV-12 steers on the ground via differential braking, but the good-sized rudder does contribute if you have a bit of wind. The rudder hardly calls attention to itself outside of having plenty of authority. A nuance, perhaps. Right until liftoff, takeoffs are fairly uneventful.

Airplanes 96

Airplanes Knot Pitot Tube Gross Weight 96

Flight Training Central

DECEMBER 4, 2023

At this time, it should be gently lowered.Maintain directional control and crosswind correction with appropriate rudder aileron input. Maintain back pressure on the yoke to keep the nosewheel off the ground until it can no longer aerodynamically be held off of the field surface.

Approach 52

Approach Ground Effect Final Approach Airplanes 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 2, 2024

By doing so, a recognizable, firm input demonstrates that using all the aileron travel wasn’t the answer—those rudder pedals are not footrests. Less-than-ideal conditions may mean a shift in lesson plan from a cross-country to an opportunity to perfect crosswind technique. No training block should ever be cast in stone. 1 priority.

Runway 52

Runway Wind Shear Crosswind Ceiling 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 2, 2024

By doing so, a recognizable, firm input demonstrates that using all the aileron travel wasn’t the answer—those rudder pedals are not footrests. Less-than-ideal conditions may mean a shift in lesson plan from a cross-country to an opportunity to perfect crosswind technique. No training block should ever be cast in stone. 1 priority.

Runway 52

Runway Wind Shear Crosswind Ceiling 52

Airspeed Junkie

AUGUST 2, 2024

The control yoke and rudder pedals offer precise control, contributing to the ease of flying. The reliability of the Cessna 172 shines through in various flight conditions, including crosswinds and turbulence. This simplicity in control is one of the reasons why the Cessna 172 is so popular in flight training programs.

Knot 98

Knot Cockpit Pilot Gross Weight 98

Air Facts

JANUARY 31, 2025

Rather, when the nose drops, use top (opposite) rudder to hold the nose up. Spin training is essential for the PIC, and snap roll training is also helpful. Perform a 45 banked turn, but do not add back pressure. This will give you a cross-controlled configuration, a slip. To keep the turn going, add back pressure.

Turbulence 52

Turbulence Airplanes Crosswind Pilot 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 29, 2024

Kentland has a 4,000-foot runway, east/west, with a crosswind straight out of the north. When you discover too late that the old rudder lock doesn’t fit the new rudder… The local hardware store had pool noodles, PVC tubing, and rope. The upper Midwest scenery can be spectacular. As I got on downwind, the ADS-B went totally nuts.

Weather 52

Weather Runway Knot Rudder 52

Northstar VFR

APRIL 21, 2024

Is 10 hours enough to handle max demonstrated crosswind from the right seat? Not because of my stick and rudder skills (we all plant them every now and then), not because of my immense knowledge (I have to look a TON of stuff up), but because I care about my students' time, money and overall constant progression as a safe pilot.

Checkride 57

Checkride Airplanes Pilot Crosswind 57

Photographic Logbook

FEBRUARY 2, 2025

In the descent, wind direction rotated counterclockwise until it became a direct southerly crosswind. Even this was not the case when we actually landed, however.

Runway 89

Runway Knot Weather Turbulence 89