How do airplanes align with runway?

At airfields where there are hills on the extended centerline of the runway, pilots can fly toward the airfield at an angle which keeps them clear of the terrain. Once out of the cloud and with the runway in sight, they can then turn the aircraft to line up with the runway.

How does a plane stay straight when taking off?

Answer: Pilots keep the airplane centered on the runway using a combination of nose-wheel steering and rudder. From very basic flight training, it is a skill that is taught and evaluated frequently. Pilots watch for drift during takeoff roll and apply rudder with the rudder pedals.

Who keeps the airplane on the centerline of the runway?

This is the reason that during a strong crosswind the pilots need quite a bit of rudder deflection and need to press the pedal a bit further with more force.) So to summarize, it’s the pilot who keeps the airplane aligned with the runway centerline and preferably on it or just next to it.

Why do pilots use a tiller on the runway?

Other answers here seem to suggest that pilots use the tiller – a little steering wheel – to keep the airplane aligned with the runway centerline during takeoff and landing. (The tiller on the Boeing 777…) (… and the tiller on the Airbus A320 family/A330 series/A340 series.

What does fly or maintain runway heading mean?

When cleared to “fly or maintain runway heading,” pilots are expected to fly or maintain the heading that corresponds with the extended centerline of the departure runway. Drift correction shall not be applied. For instance, if the actual magnetic heading of the runway centerline for Runway 4 is 044, fly 044.”

How do pilots keep the centerline in strong crosswind conditions?

In strong crosswind conditions the pilots often do need quite a bit of force on the pedals to keep the centerline. You can often see that on a takeoff in those conditions the airplane yaws with its nose into the wind as soon as it gets airborne.