Straight & Turning Descents
Straight and turning descents practice basic airmanship skills necessary to conduct approaches to land or engine-out situations.
Introduction to Straight & Turning Descents
- Used to practice approaches to land or engine-out situations
- Accomplished by increasing drag by decreasing thrust to decrease lift
- Partial Power Descent:
- Called cruise or enroute descent
- Average 500 FPM
- Descent at minimum safe airspeed:
- No greater than 1.3 Vso
- Glides:
- Balancing gravity and lift
- 100 feet forward losing 10 feet would mean a 10:1 ratio
- Lift over Drag ratio (L/D) determines ratio
- Wind plays a huge role
- Any speed other than best glide speed increases drag
- Gliding Turns:
- Lift will decrease due to being at an angle and the pull of gravity
- The nose will drop as rudder is used as well as the stability and inherent characteristics
- Too much rudder will caues a skid which increases the bank which could stall and spin the aircraft
- Turning decreases performance
WARNING:
All procedures are GENERALIZED.
Use the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) procedures for specific aircraft performance and limitations.
and/or current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Straight & Turning Descents Key Highlights
- Straight and turning descents teach pilots to control aircraft altitude loss while maintaining coordinated and stabilized flight.
- Descents require proper management of pitch attitude, power settings, airspeed, and trim throughout the maneuver.
- Turning descents combine altitude reduction with heading changes while maintaining coordinated aircraft control.
- Pilots must monitor airspeed carefully during descents to avoid exceeding aircraft limitations or unstable flight conditions.
- Bank angle and load factor during turning descents affect aircraft performance and stall characteristics.
- Smooth and coordinated control inputs help maintain stable descent rates and precise aircraft handling.
- Pilots should divide attention between outside visual references and supporting flight instruments during descent operations.
- Wind conditions, turbulence, aircraft weight, and configuration changes can influence descent performance.
- Improper coordination during descents may result in skidding, slipping, or excessive airspeed increases.
- Understanding straight and turning descents improves aircraft control precision, energy management, and overall flight safety.
Straight & Turning Descents Procedure
WARNING:
All procedures are GENERALIZED.
Use the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) procedures for specific aircraft performance and limitations.
and/or current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).- Perform clearing turns.
- Reduce power and advance the propeller, if applicable:
- The aircraft will descend on its own
- Adjust Trim
- Cross-check Instruments:
- Cross-check the airspeed indicator, attitude indicator, and the position of the airplanes nose to the horizon to determine correct pitch attitude
- Heading should be constant with wings level for a straight turn
- Descending turns should have a constant angle of bank and rate of turn:
- Shallow (less than 20 degrees)
- Medium (20 degrees to 45 degrees)
- Steep (45 degrees or more)
- Adverse yaw and coordinated flight should be considered in turning
- Level-off:
- Level off abou 100 to 150 feet prior to the altitude met
- Cruise power should be added
- Decrease the elevator if in a turn to prevent climbing
- Complete cruise checklist
Instrument Reference
- For any maneuver of condition of flight, the pitch, bank, and power control requirements are most clearly indicated by certain key instruments
- Those instruments which provide the most pertinent and essential information will be referred to as primary instruments
- Supporting instruments back up and supplement the information shown on the primary instruments
| PITCH | BANK | POWER | |
| Primary | Airspeed Indicator | Heading Indicator | MP and/or RPM |
| Supporting | VSI | Airspeed / Turn Coordinator | Airspeed |
Straight and Turning Descent Common Errors
- Failure to adequately clear the area, as appropriate
- Inadequate back-elevator control during glide entry resulting in too steep a glide
- Failure to slow the airplane to approximate glide speed prior to lowering pitch attitude
- Attempting to establish/maintain a normal glide solely by reference to flight instruments
- Inability to sense changes in airspeed through sound and feel
- Inability to stabilize the glide (chasing the airspeed)
- Attempting to "stretch" the glide by applying back-elevator pressure
- Skidding or slipping during gliding turns due to inadequate appreciation of the difference in rudder action as opposed to turns with power
- Failure to lower pitch attitude during gliding turn entry resulting in a decrease in airspeed
- Excessive rudder pressure during recovery from gliding turns
- Inadequate pitch control during recovery from straight glides
- "Ground shyness" resulting in cross-controlling during gliding turns near the ground
- Failure to maintain constant bank angle during gliding turns
Airman Certification Standards
Straight & Turning Descents Knowledge Check
Straight & Turning Descents Conclusion
- Remain mindful that performance calculations are usually more optimistic than actual performance.
- Consider actual versus realized performance when doing any performance calculations
- Consider practicing maneuvers on a flight simulator to introduce yourself to maneuvers or knock off rust
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