How is a Dutch roll executed with an airplane?

Answer 1

"Dutch Roll" is a coordination training maneuver sometimes taught to student pilots to help them improve their "stick-and-rudder" technique. The aircraft is alternately rolled as much as 60-degrees left and right while rudder is applied to keep the nose of the aircraft pointed at a fixed point. This is sometimes called "rolling on a fixed heading".

The aircraft is rolled in such a way as to maintain an accurate heading without the nose moving from side-to-side (or yawing). The unwanted yaw motion is induced due to aileron drag: The lifting wing (aileron down) is creating more lift than the descending wing (aileron up) and therefore it creates more drag. This pushes the raised wing to the rear, yawing the aircraft toward the raised wing. The pilot counters the yaw by applying rudder in the same direction as the aileron control (left stick, left rudder - right stick, right rudder).

A good Dutch Roll involves a series of oscillations in which the pilot maximizes roll while minimizing yaw.

As each type of aircraft behaves differently, learning the correct amount and timing of rudder movement can be difficult. The aircraft's configuration and engine thrust settings can make a large difference. Dutch rolls are considerably easier to execute in a glider than in a single-engine aircraft with a nose-mounted propeller.