During a slip, what should the pilot be cautious of?

During a slip, a pilot should be particularly cautious about overcontrolling the aircraft and maintaining coordination. A slip is a maneuver where the aircraft is intentionally flown at a sideways angle to the direction of travel, often used to lose altitude quickly without increasing airspeed.

Overcontrolling can lead to excessive and unnecessary movements of the yoke and rudder, which can destabilize the aircraft. Pilots need to apply smooth and measured inputs to avoid introducing unwanted oscillations or overcorrection, which can escalate into a loss of control. Maintaining a light touch on the controls helps in preserving the aircraft's stability during this maneuver.

Additionally, maintaining coordination is critical because lack of coordination during a slip could lead to unintentional yaw, which can exacerbate the situation by inducing adverse yaw or rolling the aircraft in a non-desired direction. Properly coordinated controls ensure the aircraft remains in a balanced flight path during this maneuver, preventing the onset of stalls or spins.

Thus, both caution against overcontrolling and ensuring coordination are key for safe and effective slipping.