In the world of general aviation, many pilots tend to have a strong preference for either low wing or high wing aircraft. While both are excellent choices with their respective advantages and disadvantages, the preference of many pilots is to a large extent based on which aircraft type they are the most familiar with. In case you have been flying only low wing or high wing aircraft and want to transition to the other, it can be somewhat frightening if you don’t know what to expect.
So, how do you transition between high wing and low wing aircraft?
Here are the things you need to do to transition between high wing and low wing aircraft:
- Understand the differences between the two.
- Learn the button and control placements.
- Go through the checklists.
- Go for a check ride with an experienced pilot or flight instructor, to gain real practical experience.
The differences between high wing and low wing aircraft are often exaggerated.
Sure, they do behave differently in many regards, but a seasoned pilot should have no issues transitioning from one to the other. As long as the airplane doesn’t require any additional type ratings, such as tailwheel or high-performance, there is nothing hindering you from transitioning from one to the other right away.
With that said, we strongly recommend that you take some hours with a flight instructor to build muscle memory, train for emergencies, and gain a practical understanding of the relevant differences.
Getting yourself into an airplane type you have no experience with is irresponsible, as you put yourself as well as others in danger. In addition, most airplane renters require that you have some experience with the airplane type you’re looking to rent.
Another thing you should do is create a list of the V-speeds, crosswind limitations, useable loads, and other relevant numbers.
Also make sure to sit in the plane to memorize the switches, controls, and buttons. And last but not least, go through the checklists and familiarize yourself with them!
With that said, let’s take a closer look at some practical differences between high and low wing airplanes!
Once we’ve covered that, we’ll take a closer look at the differences in in-flight characteristics.
Table of Contents
Practical Differences Between High And Low Wing Aircraft
Besides the actual flight characteristics, there are numerous differences between the two airplane types you should be aware of.
Some are very obvious, but we strongly believe that bringing them to the light one extra time is better than just forgetting about them!
Visibility
One of the most debated aspects when comparing high wing airplanes to low wing airplanes, is visibility.
Proponents of high-wing aircraft stress that they provide the pilot and passengers with a much better view of the ground below them and the sky around them.
This is also why high wing aircraft are used much more frequently in flights where a free line of sight to the ground is beneficial. Introductory flights and search and rescue operations are two examples of such flights.
While high-wing aircraft lets you see more of the ground around you, they block your views as you make a turn. This will make it harder to turn to base from final, as the wing will block off your views for a moment.
Low wing aircraft, on the other hand, don’t provide as good of a view of the ground. However, the wing doesn’t block off the views during turns, which makes it easier to turn to base.
Dihedral (and stability)
The stability of an airplane is affected mainly by two factors, namely:
- the center of lift: This is the point where the aggregate lifting forces on the aircraft meet.
- the center of mass: This simply is the balance point of the aircraft.
In a high wing aircraft like a typical Cessna, the center of lift will be above the center of mass. This means that the weight of the aircraft basically “hangs below the wing”, making it act as a pendulum, in turn making it inherently stable.
Now, in a low wing aircraft, the center of mass will be above the center of lift, making it less stable. To compensate and improve stability, the wings are instead angled upwards.
The upward angle is often referred to as “dihedral”.
Here is a practical video demonstration of how adding dihedral adds to the stability of a plane.
Safety
Low-wing airplanes have the advantage of having their wings in a position where they will absorb some of the impact in the event of a crash or emergency landing.
Another case when low-wings could be deemed somewhat safer is during emergency water landings. The wings would then act as floats for a short period of time, allowing the passengers to escape the aircraft onto the wings.
One area where high wing aircraft can be deemed safer is the design of the fuel system. Since the fuel tanks are located above the engine, it can be gravity fed. A low wing aircraft, on the other hand, requires a fuel pump to flow the gas up to the engine.
Ground Clearance
This is quite an obvious point, but one that should be kept in mind whenever you’re transitioning from a high wing to a low wing.
If you aren’t aware that you are operating a low wing, you might risk hitting obstacles such as airport signs or taxiway lights that would easily have been cleared in a high wing.
Wing Access
The fuel tanks are much more easily available on a low wing airplane than a high wing. The latter usually requires the use of a ladder for the pilot to be able to reach the inlet.
On the other hand, it’s harder to reach the fuel drainage system and inspect the underside of the wing on a low wing.
Flight Characteristics
The perhaps most interesting part of transitioning to a new airplane type is the altered flight characteristics.
As stated before, high wings and low wings aren’t miles apart from each other when it comes to in-flight behavior. However, there still remain quite some differences that will prove good to know in the heat of the moment!
Elevator and Rudder Effectiveness
In low wing aircraft, you might experience that the rudder and elevator become less effective during takeoff, landing, as well as at high angle of attack. This is because the low placement of the wing blocks the airflow in these situations.
Some low wing aircraft such as the diamond line of aircraft, have tried to solve this issue by designing the empennage in the form of a T, with the elevator and rudder situated right at the top. That way the airflow isn’t obstructed by the wings and fuselage.
Rolls
A high wing aircraft will be more stable, and generally require less aileron input by the pilot. As previously discussed, this is because the fuselage hangs below the wings as a pendulum which always strives to return to a balanced state.
Landing
Since the wings of a low wing aircraft are located closer to the ground during landing, you’ll experience a stronger and earlier ground effect than in a high wing aircraft.
This means that a high wing aircraft should be able to get to the ground more quickly, since it will be able to cut through the ground with less effort.
On the other hand, the extended ground effect on low wing aircraft could be utilized to achieve smoother landings, as the plane will float for longer. However, it should be noted that it also could lead to the plane becoming harder to control throughout the landing.
Take-off
Conversely to when landing, the ground effect will make a low wing generate more lift, in turn helping it achieve a shorter takeoff.
Cruise
In general, low wing aircraft have better fuel economy during cruise as well as higher airspeeds. This is mainly due to:
The Landing gear: A low wing aircraft will have the landing gear mounted directly onto the wing, minimizing the need for protruding and drag-inducing support structures.
High wing aircraft, on the other hand, will have their landing gear mounted either on the wing or onto the fuselage. In either case, an extra structure is needed to support the landing gear. This adds both weight and drag.
Struts: Many high wings require struts to support the wing. This obviously adds both weight and drag.
All in all, the extra drag and weight of many high wing planes mean that they will consume more fuel and be somewhat slower than low wing aircraft.
Should You Train in Both High and Low Wing Aircraft?
Most Students will decide one aircraft type to spend most or all of their time in. While this isn’t wrong by any means, you will benefit greatly from switching between high and low wing aircraft during your training. As you grow accustomed to more airplane types, your confidence will grow, and you will become more prepared for various in-flight scenarios.
Disadvantages and Advantages of High Wing and Low Wing Aircraft
Before ending this article, we just wanted to list some of the disadvantages and advantages that we haven’t covered so far!
Advantages of high wing aircraft
- Protection from sunlight: High wings help block some of the sunlight, which provides a cooler, more comfortable temperatures on hot days.The wings also provide shelter from rain and snow when spending time outside the aircraft.
- Easier to get in and out of: A high wing doesn’t require you to step up on the wing before entering, as in a low wing plane. High wings also use to have 2 doors, while low wings tend to have just one.
- Take less space in the hangar: Since the wings are so high, a lot of things can be stored under them.
Disadvantages of high wing aircraft
- Crosswind sensitivity: On the ground, high wings are generally more susceptible to turbulence and crosswind.
- Less stable Landing Gear Design: Upon landing a low wing aircraft, the force of the impact will be shared between the fuselage and the wings. However, a high wing airplane will have all the force transferred to the fuselage.
Advantages of low wing aircraft
Shorter and more sturdy landing gear: This is advantageous not only during rough landing, but also in the event of a crash.
Disadvantages of low wing aircraft
Sunlight reflection: In the same way that a high wing protects the cabin from the sun, a low wing will reflect some of it into the cabin, effectively raising the cabin temperature.
Conclusion
Transitioning between high and low wing aircraft isn’t hard if you just make sure to do your due diligence and take some help from an experienced pilot or instructor. As a matter of fact, they are quite similar, and with most certainty, you will be up and running in no time!
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