How to Fly Backward in an Airplane

Any pilot can fly forwards, but under the right circumstances, you can fly your airplane backwards, or so it seems. Actually you are still flying forward, but the wind mass is pushing you so hard that from the ground the airplane appears to be flying backwards. Look down at the ground and you will see for yourself that you are moving backwards along the ground track as well. Very cool feeling. This can only be done on a windy day.

Things You'll Need

  • Airplane
  • Pilot's license
  • Wide open sky
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Instructions

    • 1

      Turn into the wind.

    • 2

      Reduce airspeed within the normal flap operating range, which is found within the white arc of the airspeed indicator on the instrument panel.

    • 3

      Extend the full flaps and lower the landing gear. Do this gradually. Just don't dump the flaps, especially at higher speeds.

    • 4

      Trim your airspeed to Vso. Vso is the stall speed in a landing configuration or in other words, when the flaps and landing gear are down. "V" stands for speed. The "so" is the acronym used for stall speed when the flaps are down and landing gear are fully extended in the landing configuration. Vso is the minimum maneuverable airspeed that the airplane will fly at. It is indicated at the bottom of the white arc on the airspeed indicator.

    • 5

      As long as the head wind you are facing is greater than the indicated air speed, the plane will go backwards. If the wind speed and stall speed are the same, the airplane will remain stationary, effectively hovering like a helicopter.

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