Can a plane bank without turning? Can planes bank without turning, and if so, how is it possible?
A plane's wing is designed to naturally create lift; the explanation for that is that the greater speed of the air moving over the wing reduces the air pressure above the wing and air pressure from underneath pushes the wing up.
But when the plane is tilted to the left or right relative to Earth's surface and gravity, shouldn't it be &quot;pushed&quot; to the left or right?
Yes it can. The steady-heading sideslip (SHSS) maneuver is used in flight testing to demonstrate static lateral/directional stability (similar maneuvers exist as sideslip approach in crosswind, or stabilized control with one-engine-inoperative at low speed). In this maneuver, rudder is applied to hold a sideslip, which generates an opposing side force and rolling moment. The rolling moment is neutralized via ailerons, and the side force is canceled out by banking to the opposite side. Once at steady-state, the aircraft is maintaining a rectilinear course, while banked.

Adapted from NASA IS-97/08-DFRC-01