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

Flight Training Central

MARCH 29, 2024

Quartering tailwind Quartering headwind Direct crosswind Correct! What is the difference between a normal landing and a crosswind landing? Inability to climb Increase in stability Decrease in thrust required to maintain flight Correct! In your logbook (paper or electronic).

Aileron 52

Aileron Crosswind Ground Effect Thrust 52

Flight Training Central

JANUARY 27, 2025

From misjudging the flare to battling crosswinds, these mistakes can challenge pilots of all experience levels. By adding power, thrust can be increased to keep the airspeed from decelerating too rapidly and the wings from suddenly losing lift, but throttle must be closed immediately after touchdown. Good landings take practice!

Airplanes 89

Airplanes Runway Accelerated Stall Lift 89

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

The rudder is a movable flight control which is mounted on the trailing edge of the vertical stabilizer on the back of the airplane. Some new student pilots think the rudder and vertical stabilizer are the same thing. The vertical stabilizer is a vertical fixed part of the plane’s empennage. Why is the rudder so important?

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

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. This is because only one engine produces thrust.

Airplanes 52

Airplanes Descent Approach Final Approach 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

What Is Aircraft Stability? Stability is the aircrafts tendency to maintain its attitude or orientation. This means that they have to be effective enough to counter the aircrafts inherent lateral stability. Lateral stability depends on the aircrafts design. What Materials Are Used in Ailerons? What Is Aileron Trim?

Aileron 90

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 90

Air Facts

JUNE 19, 2024

During the takeoff mode, the biggest one of these emergencies being loss of thrust (loss of engine power). The more challenging the flight conditions–low ceilings, rain, crosswinds, high density, etc–the higher the anxiety level. A calm landing differs from a headwind landing versus a crosswind landing.

Pilot 98

Pilot Crosswind Cockpit Threshold 98