Steep Turns Procedure:
WARNING:
All procedures are GENERALIZED.
Always fly per Pilot Operating Handbook procedures,
observing any relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Perform clearing turns
- Select a prominent visual reference point ahead of the airplane and out toward the horizon
- Adjust the pitch and power to maintain altitude
- Trim as necessary
- Maintain heading and note the pitch attitude required for level flight
- Roll into a 45° bank (private), or 50° bank (commercial) in the direction previously cleared
- Trim nose up
- Remain coordinated
- Remember parallax error
- Rolling through 30° of bank, increase power to maintain airspeed
- Increase pitch to maintain altitude
- Trim as necessary
- Pull back on the yoke will increase rate of turn but do not allow the aircraft to climb
- Reference the visual point selected earlier and roll out 20-25° before entry heading
- Through 30° of bank, decrease RPM
- Decrease pitch
- Trim nose down
- Return to wings level on entry heading, altitude, and airspeed
- Immediately roll into a bank in the opposite direction
- Perform the maneuver once more in the opposite direction
- Upon rolling out after the second turn, resume normal cruise
- Trim as necessary
Complete the cruise checklist
Steep Turns Common Errors:
- Failure to adequately clear the area
- Inadequate back-elevator pressure as power is reduced, resulting in altitude loss
- Excessive back-elevator pressure as power is reduced, resulting in a climb, followed by a rapid reduction in airspeed and "mushing"
- Inadequate compensation for adverse yaw during turns
- Fixation on the airspeed indicator
- Failure to anticipate changes in lift as flaps are extended or retracted
- Inadequate power management
- Inability to adequately divide attention between airplane control and orientation
Airman Certification Standards:
Conclusion:
- Consider practicing maneuvers on a flight simulator to introduce yourself to maneuvers or knock off rust
- Still looking for something? Continue searching:
References:
- Federal Aviation Administration - Pilot/Controller Glossary
- Airplane Flying Handbook
- CFI Notebook.net - High-Lift Devices
- CFI Notebook.net - Clearing Turns
- FAA - Airman Certification Standards
- Instrument Flying Handbook - Slow-Speed Flight
- Bold Method - Bad Steep Turns Result From One Of These 7 Mistakes