Spiraling Slipstream
What is spiraling slipstream?
The spiraling slipstream is the corkscrew-shaped flow of air pushed back by a propeller, which wraps around the fuselage as it travels rearward. On most airplanes, this rotating airflow strikes the vertical stabilizer on one side, pushing the tail and yawing the nose to the left—one of the left-turning tendencies. Think of it as the propeller's "spiral wind" that you counter with right rudder, especially during high-power, low-airspeed climbs.
Also known as: corkscrew slipstream, propeller slipstream
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