How to Control Your Aircraft on the Ground

Here are some taxiing tips on mastering the centerline and finding the all-important sight picture.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Seat placement can make or break a flight as sight picture can be everything for a pilot trainee. [Credit: Pixabay]

Key Takeaways:

New pilots frequently struggle with taxiing tricycle-gear aircraft, often misusing flight controls; correct technique involves precise rudder and throttle inputs at a slow, controlled speed.
Establishing a proper "sight picture" is critical for centerline alignment, requiring pilots to adjust seat height, utilize visual cues like cowling rivets or tape, and understand that this can vary across different aircraft.
Both flight instructors (due to parallax from the right seat) and tailwheel pilots (due to limited forward visibility, requiring serpentine taxiing) face unique challenges in maintaining ground control, with caution against harsh braking universally advised.

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One of the first lessons a fledgling pilot training in a tricycle-gear aircraft learns is how to stay on the centerline during taxi. For the unfamiliar, it’s more challenging than you’d think it would be.

For starters, there’s the tendency for the learner to “drive” the airplane with the yoke or stick. On the ground the aircraft is controlled by a combination of rudder inputs and throttle. Trying to steer on the ground with the yoke or stick is like trying to flush a toilet by flipping a light switch.