Skid-to-turn is an aeronautical vehicle reference for how such a vehicle may be turned. It applies to vehicles such as aircraft and missiles. In skid-to-turn, the vehicle does not roll to a preferred angle. Instead commands to the control surfaces are mixed to produce the maneuver in the desired direction. This is distinct from the coordinated turn used by aircraft pilots. For instance, a vehicle flying horizontally may be turned in the horizontal plane by the application of rudder controls to place the body at a sideslip angle

Sideslip angle

Sideslip angle, also called angle of sideslip , is a term used in fluid dynamics and aerodynamics and aviation. It relates to the rotation of the aircraft centerline from the relative wind...

 relative to the airflow. This sideslip flow then produces a force in the horizontal plane to turn the vehicle's velocity vector. The benefit of the skid-to-turn maneuver is that it can be performed much quicker than a coordinated turn. This is useful when trying to correct for small errors. The disadvantage occurs if the vehicle has greater maneuverability in one body plane than another. In that case the turns are less efficient and either consume greater thrust or cause a greater loss of aircraft specific energy

Aircraft specific energy

Aircraft specific energy is a form of specific energy applied to aircraft and missile trajectory analysis. It represents the combined kinetic and potential energy of the vehicle at any given time...

than coordinated turns.

External links

• Automatic control of aircraft and missiles By John H. Blakelock