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

Fear of Landing

JUNE 28, 2024

The pilot lowered the collective lever by 50%, which decreases the pitch angle of the main rotor blades and thus reduces the lift generated by the rotor. Reducing the lift and decreasing the torque effect helped to stabilize the helicopter. The helicopter, still powered, briefly lifted off again.

Rudder 96

Rudder Tail Lift Knot 96

Fear of Landing

APRIL 19, 2024

At approximately 30-40 feet agl, the spinning stopped and the helicopter appeared to stabilize for a brief moment before continuing a nose-low, forward descent into the grass north of Runway 28. Then he followed the installation procedure, including the mast nut torque application. As it descended it spun around 2-3 times.

Torque 76

Torque Indicated Airspeed Tail Knot 76