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Coordinated Turns

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The rudder in turns primarily corrects for "adverse yaw" (drag from ailerons) to maintain coordinated flight.
  • When initiating or rolling out of a turn, the rudder should be applied first, followed by aileron and slight elevator back-pressure.
  • The amount of rudder needed varies by aircraft, and pilots should learn to achieve coordinated turns by feel and external cues rather than relying solely on instruments.
See a mistake? Contact us.

When we make a turn in flight, why do we use the rudder?

We all know from the books the answer is to “correct for adverse yaw” — which is just a fancy way of saying to overcome drag from the aileron.

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