Weathervane effect strong?

Upwind aileron input is key in counteracting weathervaning. This is a very misunderstood topic. There are currently two or three of these discussions. Most non-pilot simmers are taken aback by the difficulties of controlling an aircraft on the ground. While there are plenty of physics working to send you grazing in the hayfield, the least considered is that airplanes are meant to fly, not drive. That means they are exceptionally light and are adversely affected by wind when not travelling fast enough for their control surfaces to take full effect.

People also forget that once flying, there effectively is no wind. It is simply moving through a stationary airmass as far as it is concerned. If that airmass is moving across the ground then the aircraft is going to move with it. No power on earth can prevent that.

As the aircraft wings start to take the weight off the landing gear, the tendency to go with the airmass becomes greater and we need to induce drag to assist the wheels and rudder in maintaining directional control. That is what ailerons are for. Proper airmanship requires they be used from ramp to ramp to maintain proper control of the aircraft. They are not just to make a wing go up or down.

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