adverse yaw

noun

aeronautics

: a rotation about the vertical axis of an airplane that causes the airplane's nose to move in the direction opposite to the direction of a horizontal turn

Note: Adverse yaw occurs when an airplane banks its wings for a turn. The increased lift of the raised wing is associated with increased drag, which causes the airplane to yaw toward the side of the raised wing. The rudder is typically used to counteract adverse yaw.

Because gliders have long wings, they tend to seem somewhat sluggish in roll and have powerful adverse yaw when you roll into a bank.

—Amy Laboda, Flying, October 1990

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

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