How to Control an Airplane

Introduction

• Understanding how to control an airplane is vital for building a strong foundation in flight training.
• Airplanes move in three dimensions, rotating around their center of gravity on three main axes: lateral, longitudinal, and vertical.
• The video is part of a free Private Pilot ground course available on YouTube.
• Full premium course available for endorsements, reading assignments, and quizzes for $50.

Center of Gravity and Center of Lift

• Center of Gravity (CG):
  • A theoretical point where the weight of the aircraft is concentrated.
  • Balances like a pivot point; if placed on a string at the CG, the aircraft will be perfectly balanced.
• Center of Lift:
  • Theoretical point where all wing lift is concentrated.
  • The CG is placed in front of the center of lift to ensure stability.

The Three Axes of Movement

1. Lateral Axis (Pitch Axis)

• Movement: Pitching the nose up or down.
• Controlled by: Elevator
  • Control Mechanism:
    • Pulling back on the yoke raises the elevator, deflecting the tail downward, tilting the nose up.
    • Pushing forward on the yoke lowers the elevator, deflecting the tail upward, tilting the nose down.
  • Mnemonic: "Trees get bigger, trees get smaller."

2. Longitudinal Axis (Roll Axis)

• Movement: Rolling the aircraft.
• Controlled by: Ailerons
  • Control Mechanism:
    • Rotating the yoke raises one aileron and lowers the other, creating differential lift for rolling.
    • The lowered aileron creates more lift; the raised one creates less.

3. Vertical Axis (Yaw Axis)

• Movement: Yawing side to side.
• Controlled by: Rudder Pedals
  • Control Mechanism:
    • Push right pedal for right yaw; left pedal for left yaw.
    • Used mainly for maintaining directional control due to adverse yaw.

Adverse Yaw

• Occurs when the lowered aileron creates more drag, causing the aircraft to yaw in that direction.
• Solution:
  • Use rudder pedals in conjunction with ailerons to maintain alignment with the direction of travel.
  • Apply a small amount of rudder towards the direction of roll.
  • Ensure the ball of the aircraft is centered, indicating proper alignment.

Conclusion

• Practice these controls to ensure proper understanding and control of an airplane.
• Take quizzes to reinforce learning and check for retained information.
• Check out additional resources and endorsements at FreePilotTraining.net.