Wings level on takeoff

TexasAviation

TexasAviation

Pre-takeoff checklist
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TexasAviation
Where do you look or what techniques do you use to keep the wings level on takeoff?

I'm banking to the right on virtually every takeoff I make, right after I rotate. I'm just not sensing what the plane is doing at that critical moment. Right after the wheels lift off, I feel like the plane is flying me instead of me flying the plane. I don't know if it's the change in attitude, or sensory overload, or what.

I've got less than 8 hours under my belt, so I know this is one of those things that will be easy with more time. It's just happening so consistently that I want to try and fix it.

Let me know what you do and where you look to keep the wings level on takeoff. I'm training in an Archer, if that helps.
 
You need to hold correction for the direction of the wind during your roll out. Don't wait until you take off to correct for the wind.


Example if the wind sock is blowing from the right side you turn your yoke into the wind.
 
TexasAviation said:
Where do you look or what techniques do you use to keep the wings level on takeoff?

I'm banking to the right on virtually every takeoff I make, right after I rotate. I'm just not sensing what the plane is doing at that critical moment. Right after the wheels lift off, I feel like the plane is flying me instead of me flying the plane. I don't know if it's the change in attitude, or sensory overload, or what.

I've got less than 8 hours under my belt, so I know this is one of those things that will be easy with more time. It's just happening so consistently that I want to try and fix it.

Let me know what you do and where you look to keep the wings level on takeoff. I'm training in an Archer, if that helps.
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What does your instructor say?
 
Seems a little odd to bank to the right.

Ailerons level? What are you doing with the rudder?
 
You may have too much rudder input.
 
TexasAviation said:
Where do you look or what techniques do you use to keep the wings level on takeoff?

I'm banking to the right on virtually every takeoff I make, right after I rotate. I'm just not sensing what the plane is doing at that critical moment. Right after the wheels lift off, I feel like the plane is flying me instead of me flying the plane. I don't know if it's the change in attitude, or sensory overload, or what.

I've got less than 8 hours under my belt, so I know this is one of those things that will be easy with more time. It's just happening so consistently that I want to try and fix it.

Let me know what you do and where you look to keep the wings level on takeoff. I'm training in an Archer, if that helps.
Click to expand...

What are the wind conditions when this is occurring?
 
Honestly, I think people make too easy a time out of take-offs. A nice and smooth takeoff is harder than it looks. I _think_ what you're experiencing will just come with practice and experience.

The main thing is to remember that during the takeoff roll you need ailerons held to counter for the wind, specifically you turn into the wind, with rudders steering you down the center. If you have any crosswind you'll start with full aileron deflection and as you pick up speed you'll slowly let out aileron to the correct flying speed correction. You're basically doing the takeoff roll in a slip configuration.

The trick is that once you're off the ground you'll want to be in a crab, wings level, plane cocked into the wind so you're flying down the imaginary centerline.

Hense the skill of the smooth transition during rotation from virtual slip to crab. The smooth part comes not only from the smooth elevator action, but also knowing how much aileron you'll want as soon as the wheels leave the ground for the amount of wind -- and that's something that'll be purely from experience and being ahead of the plane to know how to make quicker corrections.

I'm speaking from theory, of course, as I've only done this to my satisfaction once or twice, but it is a beautiful feeling when you take off like this.

P.S. One rule of thumb that seems to work well for predicting the crab angle is to expect a one degree crab into the wind per knot of cross-wind component.
 
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PA is absolutely correct in the action to take, these are all opinions, speak to your instructor about it. He should be able to determine whether it's an aileron cross-wind correction issue, a rudder issue, a mechanical issue or something else and help you correct it.

As Timmer said, good clean take-offs take lots of practice, just as much as landings do, so practice, and you'll get it.
 
TexasAviation said:
Where do you look or what techniques do you use to keep the wings level on takeoff?

I'm banking to the right on virtually every takeoff I make, right after I rotate. I'm just not sensing what the plane is doing at that critical moment. Right after the wheels lift off, I feel like the plane is flying me instead of me flying the plane. I don't know if it's the change in attitude, or sensory overload, or what.

I've got less than 8 hours under my belt, so I know this is one of those things that will be easy with more time. It's just happening so consistently that I want to try and fix it.

Let me know what you do and where you look to keep the wings level on takeoff. I'm training in an Archer, if that helps.
Click to expand...

look out the front window, watch the wings, keep wings level. remember the Pfactor.
 
Are you banking right to keep the airplane on runway heading or are you just banking/turning right for no apparently reason.

If it's the former, you need more right rudder and it won't drift left. The pedal pressure is right about the same pressure you'd use in a car to slow down gently. If it's the latter, I guess just make a conscious effort not to next time.
 
paflyer said:
What does your instructor say?
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He says, "Keep the wings level!" and tugs on the yoke.

:)

He said I should try looking more toward the left side instead of straight ahead at the cowling at that point. I think it boils down to a lack of awareness on my part, because no matter what the root cause is (wind, rudder, P-factor, whatever) I'm just not sensing it and reacting to it quickly enough. I don't notice the bank is screwy it until it's pretty extreme.
 
kgruber said:
If the rudder, it would be too much right rudder.
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I've thought that myself. I typically add more right rudder as we get faster on the takeoff roll to keep it on the center line, then even more after we rotate. I think I might just be overdoing it at that point and end up banking to the right.

But the bigger issue — no matter what the cause — is that I'm not sensing it's happening early on. I want to be able to see/feel it right off the bat.

I know I'll figure it out soon enough (hopefully at my next lesson on Monday!) Just wanted to see if you guys had any insights to share.
 
TexasAviation said:
I've thought that myself. I typically add more right rudder as we get faster on the takeoff roll to keep it on the center line, then even more after we rotate. I think I might just be overdoing it at that point and end up banking to the right.

But the bigger issue — no matter what the cause — is that I'm not sensing it's happening early on. I want to be able to see/feel it right off the bat.

I know I'll figure it out soon enough (hopefully at my next lesson on Monday!) Just wanted to see if you guys had any insights to share.
Click to expand...

As you accelerate down the runway you should need slightly less right rudder because the controls are more effective as the airspeed goes up and the airflow over them increases.
 
I would be interested in what your eyes are doing during the T/O roll. If you are fixating on something you may just not see the bank early enough. Could be any number of things, some harder to fix than others. Key will be "seeing" the departure from what you want the airplane to do.
 
Have you asked your instructor to demonstrate a takeoff while you keep your hands and feet lightly on the controls? I find that helps me a lot when I'm screwing something up over and over. Sometimes it's too little input and sometimes it's too much. Either you're putting in too much right rudder or the timing of your wind correction angle decrease is slightly off.

Also at 8 hours, you're still developing a sense of how the aircraft reacts, especially during windy conditions.
 
Is weathervaning a possiblity too?

Ive found that in a strong crosswind I need rudder oppopsite of aileron for a moment.
 
TexasAviation said:
I'm banking to the right on virtually every takeoff I make, right after I rotate.
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If it's always to the right, it's most likely an inappropriate aileron input to counter the left-yawing/rolling tendency as you increase pitch and lift off, when both the stabilization provided by wheels on the ground is lost and P-factor increases due to increase angle of attack. Sometimes instructors fail to point out to trainees that a significant increase in right rudder displacement (that's displacement, not just pressure) is required as you rotate and lift off. Try working on that.
 
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