Definition
Rudder pressure applied in the same direction as the turn — toward the inside (lower wing) of the bank. In a left turn, this is left rudder; in a right turn, right rudder. When applied excessively or out of coordination with aileron, it skids the airplane and is a primary cause of cross-control stalls in the base-to-final turn.
Plain English
Pushing on the rudder pedal on the same side as the direction you're turning — the side the airplane is leaning toward. In a left turn, that's the left pedal; in a right turn, the right pedal.
Context Anchor
Seen in cross-control stall discussions, especially when a pilot uses too much rudder in a turn while holding the bank with opposite aileron.
Derivation
Inside' refers to the inside of the turn — the lower wing side of the bank. 'Bottom' refers to the same pedal because, with the airplane banked, that pedal is physically lower than the other. Both terms describe the same rudder input from two different reference points.
Why Pilots Care
This input lowers stall speed in the turn and can produce a sudden, aggressive stall break if combined with opposite aileron.
Grounding Statement
Picture a left turn with the left wing low: pressing the left rudder pedal is inside or bottom rudder pressure.
Intuition Check
“Inside” does not mean inside the cockpit, and “bottom” does not mean the bottom of the airplane. Here, both point to the same side: the inside of the turn and the lower-wing side of the bank.
Example Sentence 1
Overshooting the final approach course, the pilot was tempted to add inside rudder to swing the nose around rather than steepen the bank.
Example Sentence 2
Applying bottom rudder pressure in a steep turn can mask the approaching stall until the break occurs abruptly.