Asymmetry In Action

Symmetry. Balance. These concepts are universal to virtually all human philosophy and aesthetics. An aviation credo is that "if an airplane design looks good, it will fly good." In most cases, "looking good" means having proportions-and symmetry-that please the eye. We strive for balance and symmetry in the way we fly as well. Pitch attitudes. Bank angles. Airspeeds. Rudder coordination. Almost everything we do is designed to make maneuvers steady and balanced. Some of the most challenging maneuvers on practical tests make us demonstrate symmetry, with airspeeds, altitudes and bank angles at one point of the maneuver equaling those at others, and balanced rudder input throughout. But there are times when we must violate the concept of symmetry to make the airplane perform. Most notably, this means something other than balanced rudder input.

Key Takeaways:

• While aviation design and normal flight operations generally prioritize symmetry and balanced control for optimal performance, certain critical scenarios necessitate deliberately uncoordinated flight inputs.
• Intentional slips, used for rapid altitude loss, precision landings, or effective crosswind approaches, are purposeful uncoordinated maneuvers involving a banked wing with opposing rudder input to prevent turning.
• In multi-engine aircraft, an engine failure introduces significant asymmetry, requiring precise, uncoordinated rudder and bank inputs (not merely centering the slip/skid ball) to achieve zero-sideslip and extract maximum performance from the remaining engine.

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