Definition
The pilot action of arresting an unwanted rotation of the airplane about its vertical axis by applying coordinated rudder input opposite to the direction of yaw, then neutralizing the rudder once the nose stops moving. In stall and incipient spin recovery, stopping the yaw is the critical step that prevents a developed spin, and it is performed before or simultaneously with reducing the angle of attack.
Plain English
Using the rudder to stop the airplane's nose from swinging sideways. You press the rudder pedal on the side opposite to the way the nose is moving, and as soon as the swinging stops you let the pedal return to neutral.
Context Anchor
Used in airplane control discussions, especially during stall and spin recovery, when the pilot must stop the airplane from continuing to rotate.
Derivation
"Yaw" comes from an old nautical term meaning to deviate from a steady course. On a ship or an airplane, yaw is side-to-side movement of the nose. "Stopping the yaw" simply names the pilot's job: arrest that sideways movement before it develops into something worse, like a spin.
Why Pilots Care
Maintains directional control and prevents sideslip that can lead to loss of airspeed or spin entry.
Grounding Statement
Picture the airplane’s nose swinging left or right; stopping the yaw means stopping that swing.
Intuition Check
Stopping the yaw does not mean raising the nose or leveling the wings first. It specifically means stopping the left-or-right rotation of the airplane’s nose.
Example Sentence 1
As the left wing dropped at the stall, the instructor demonstrated stopping the yaw with right rudder before lowering the nose to reduce the angle of attack.
Example Sentence 2
During the climbing turn the pilot used a touch of rudder to stop the yaw that appeared when the ailerons were deflected.