Got Rudder?

During checkouts of rated pilots, I usually ask them to explain why the rudder is on the airplane. More than half of rated pilots will tell me the rudder helps turn the aircraft, which is not only wrong but is a very dangerous belief. Less than half of pilots will correctly identify the main purpose of the rudder, to correct for adverse yaw. By failing to correctly understanding the rudders purpose, these pilots exhibit a failure in our training system. Moreover, by misusing the airplanes primary controls, they arent flying it properly or efficiently. This realization has many implications-an indictment of our training systems among them-but the dangers of misusing the rudder also must be acknowledged. Lets discuss the rudders proper role, plus the effects and dangers of misusing primary controls.

Key Takeaways:

• Many pilots dangerously misunderstand the rudder's primary purpose, mistakenly believing it helps turn the aircraft rather than its true role in correcting adverse yaw.
• The rudder's main function is to counteract adverse yaw, which is the uncommanded yaw opposite the direction of roll caused by increased drag on the rising wing during aileron deflection.
• Misusing the rudder to "help" speed up a banked turn, especially at low airspeeds, is extremely dangerous and can lead to an accelerated stall and unrecoverable spin.

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