PLT486: Taxiing In Wind
What code PLT486 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Taxiing In Wind before your checkride.
Recall taxiing / takeoff - techniques / procedures
What this means for your checkride
When taxiing with a quartering headwind, hold the aileron control toward the wind (upwind aileron up) so the wind does not lift the upwind wing. With a quartering tailwind, hold the elevator down and the upwind aileron down to keep the wind from getting under the tail and wing. Correct control positioning keeps the airplane controllable on the ground.
Improper flight control positioning while taxiing can allow wind to upset the airplane, so pilots must know the correct inputs for each wind direction.
Students often neglect flight control positioning during taxi, forgetting that ailerons and elevator must be positioned for the relative wind.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.