Definition
The collective left-turning tendencies produced by a propeller-driven aircraft, including engine torque reaction, propeller slipstream spiral, asymmetric propeller loading (P-factor), and gyroscopic precession. These effects are most pronounced at high power settings, low airspeeds, and high angles of attack, and they require rudder input to counteract.
Plain English
The way a propeller aircraft naturally tries to yaw or roll to one side when you add power. The pilot has to use the rudder to keep the nose straight.
Context Anchor
Seen during power control in straight-and-level instrument flight, especially when changing power while trying to hold heading, altitude, and airspeed.
Derivation
Torque comes from the Latin torquere, meaning to twist. The engine twists the propeller one way, and by reaction the airframe wants to twist the other way. 'Characteristics' here just means the collection of related behaviours that come along with that twisting force.
Why Pilots Care
Anticipating torque helps maintain wings-level flight and coordinated control inputs when power changes occur.
Analogy
A hand drill can twist your wrist in the opposite direction when the motor starts. An airplane can show a similar twisting reaction when its engine and propeller produce power.
Intuition Check
Do not read “torque characteristics” as just “how powerful the engine is.” Here it means the airplane’s handling reactions caused by the twisting force of the engine and propeller.
Example Sentence 1
As the student advanced the throttle for takeoff, the instructor reminded her to add right rudder to offset the aircraft's torque characteristics.
Example Sentence 2
Reducing power lessened the torque characteristics and allowed the wings to stay level with less control pressure.