What is required to correct for a skid during flight?

To correct for a skid during flight, applying rudder opposite to the direction of the turn is necessary for several reasons. When an aircraft skids, it is typically due to insufficient bank angle relative to its airspeed or a strong turn. This happens when the pilot over-controls the ailerons during a turn, causing the aircraft to yaw toward the outside of the turn.

Using the rudder in the opposite direction helps to align the aircraft properly with the relative wind and counteracts the unwanted yaw. This ensures that the aircraft maintains coordinated flight, which is essential for stable and efficient maneuvering. Coordination is crucial because it prevents adverse yaw and promotes better handling characteristics.

Deploying the ailerons inappropriately—whether by moving them in the same direction as the turn, employing them to counter the turn, or even not using rudder at all—could exacerbate the skid. Each of these actions fails to effectively stabilize the aircraft and risks increasing the loss of control or leading the aircraft into a more pronounced turn or stall.