By Airbus Safety First
The use of rudder by the flight crew on Airbus aircraft is limited to the takeoff and landing roll, crosswind landings, or to counteract the yaw effect caused by an engine failure until the rudder is trimmed. Several events have been reported where the flight crew used rudder inputs after encountering turbulence, causing unnecessary trajectory deviations and loads on the aircraft structure.
This article describes such an event and explains the two types of rudder design used on Airbus aircraft. It also provides recommendations to the flight crew on the use of rudder and emphasises the importance of reporting lateral loads events after an occurrence. It also provides guidance to maintenance personnel to ensure necessary inspections are performed following a reported high load event.
