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Steep Turn

Steep Turn
Steep Turns

Objective: The student will be introduced  to the maneuver Steep Turns and review past material from rectangular course.

Completion Standards: The student will be able to explain how the aircraft is affected in turns greater than 30 degrees like load factor and the components of lift. The student will also be able to explain the maneuver through a step-by-step process.

References: AFM Ch 10, PHAK Ch 5, PIM Ch 2-60

Equipment: White Board and markers, iPad/ computer 

IP’s Actions:

  • Assess student

  • State the objective and completion standards

  • Writes down references

  • Provide attention getter

  • Present content

  • Assessment

  • Assign Homework

SP’s Actions:

  • Take notes

  • Ask Questions

Introduction: 

Show Video of F22:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCP8i-Sm0xE

Motivation: This is an F22 doing a steep turn which Is what we are going to be learning how to complete.

Overview:

  1. Review of past material

  2. Constant Radius During Turning Flight

  3. Load Factor

  4. Forces in a turn

  5. Steep Turns

  6. The Maneuver

  7. Common Errors

Content:

Review of past material

Types of turns

  • Shallow 0 to 15 degrees 

  • Medium 15 to 45 degrees

  • Steep 45 to 60 degrees

Constant Radius During Turning Flight

  • In a no-wind condition

    • A pilot may make a constant-radius turn over the ground using a fixed bank angle.

  • If wind is present,

    • The pilot will observe a change in the radius of a turn while maintaining that same constant bank angle.

  • As groundspeed increases

    • The observed radius of the turn increases. 

  • As groundspeed decreases,

    • The radius of the turn over the ground will decrease.

  • For a ground-referenced constant-radius turn,

    • The pilot compensates for changes in groundspeed by varying the bank angle throughout the turn. 

  • When groundspeed increases, 

    • The pilot banks more steeply to maintain a constant-radius turn over the ground. 

  • When groundspeed decreases, 

    • The pilot uses a shallower bank

Load Factor

  • In aerodynamics, the maximum load factor (at given bank angle) is a proportion between lift and weight

  • measured in Gs (acceleration of gravity), force exerted by gravity on a body at rest and indicates the force to which a body is subjected when it is accelerated.

Any force applied to an aircraft to deflect its flight from a straight line produces a stress on its structure.


  • For example,

    • A load factor of 3 means the total load on an aircraft’s structure is three times its weight. Since load factors are expressed in terms of Gs, a load factor of 3 may be spoken of as 3 Gs, or a load factor of 4 as 4 Gs

With the structural design of aircraft planned to withstand only a certain amount of overload, a knowledge of load factors has become essential for all pilots. 


  • Load factors are important for two reasons: 

  1. It is possible for a pilot to impose a dangerous overload on the aircraft structures. 

  2. An increased load factor increases the stalling speed and makes stalls possible at seemingly safe flight speeds



Stall Speeds and Load Factor

  • As load factor increases so does our stall speed

  • Example

    • 60° bank would have an increase of 41% on our stall speed

    • Vs is 48 Kn then in the bank we would stall at 67 Kn

Overturning Tendency

  • Outer wing moves slightly faster through the air then the inner wing.

  • Creates asymmetric lift, 

    • Causing the aircraft to exhibit an over-banking tendency. 

    • Opposite aileron to maintain your bank angle, and prevent over-banking.

Forces in a turn

  • Review newtons laws

    • First law- Law of inertia

  • In a normal turn, this force is supplied by banking the aircraft so that lift is exerted inward, as well as upward. The force of lift during a turn is separated into two components at right angles to each other.

  1. Vertical component

    1. Vertically, opposite of gravity/ weight

  2. Horizontal component 

    1. Act to center of turn

    2. Centripetal force- newton’s 3rd law

  3. Stay coordinated using rudder

  • Torque Effect

    • Remember the forces of an aircraft

    • To the pilot, “torque” (the left turning tendency of the airplane) is made up of four elements that cause or produce a twisting or rotating motion around at least one of the airplane’s three axes. These four elements are:

    • Torque reaction from engine and propeller

    • Torque reaction involves Newton’s Third Law of Physics for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

    • Review  Newtons 3rd law

    • As applied to the aircraft, this means that as the internal engine parts and propeller are revolving in one direction, an equal force is trying to rotate the aircraft in the opposite direction.

  • Yawing (Rudder Usage)

    • Turns to the left require less right rudder,

      • Because the left turning tendencies and right adverse yaw counteract each other.

    • Turns to the right are the exact opposite. You'll need slightly more right rudder.

  • P-Factor(Asymmetric loading of the propeller)

    • When an aircraft is flying with a high AOA, the “bite” of the downward moving blade is greater than the “bite” of the upward moving blade. 

    • This moves the center of thrust to the right of the prop disc area, 

    • Causing a yawing moment toward the left around the vertical axis.



Steep Turns

  • Steep turns consist of single to multiple 360° and 720° turns,

  • Angle between 45° and 60°. 

  • The objective of the steep turn is to develop a pilot’s skill in flight control smoothness and coordination, an awareness of the airplane’s orientation to outside references

Things to keep in mind

1. Higher G-forces 

2. The airplane’s inherent overbanking tendency 

3. Significant loss of the vertical component of lift when the wings are steeply banked

4. Substantial pitch control pressures 

5. The need for increased additional power to maintain altitude at a constant airspeed during the turn


The Maneuver

  1. Set up

    1. Clear the area – clearing turns and radio calls

    2. Find a suitable reference of the horizon

    3. Choose an altitude above 1000’

  2. Entry

    1. Bug the heading of a suitable visual reference point

    2. Slow or speed up to Va (Maneuvering speed) 95 knots

  3. The turn

    1. Once established start a left ore right turn to 45 degrees

    2. Passing 30 degrees add power(50 rpm) and continue bank to 45 degrees

    3. Adding backpressure/ trim and staying coordinated using rudder

  4. Exit/ rollout

    1. After 360 degrees turn level off starting 20 degrees from reference point or once the point passes the side pillar

      1. Lead the rollout by ½ the bank angle 

    2. While passing 30 degrees bring out power put in

  5. Repeat steps 3-4 for opposite turn


Errors that may Occur

  1. Not clearing the area 

  2. Inadequate pitch control on entry or rollout 

  3. Gaining or losing altitude 

  4. Failure to maintain constant bank angle 

  5. Poor flight control coordination 

  6. Ineffective use of trim 

  7. Ineffective use of power 

  8. Inadequate airspeed control 

  9. Becoming disoriented 

  10. Performing by reference to the flight instruments rather than visual references 

  11. Failure to scan for other traffic during the maneuver 

  12. Attempting to start recovery prematurely or late

  13. Failure to stop the turn on the designated heading


Conclusion

We reviewed newtons laws. We reviewed constant rate turns and lod factor. We also went over some new material such as vertical and horizontal components of lift.

(Questions to assess student)

What are the components of lift and how do they act on our plane in a steep turn?

What is a constant rate turn?

What is our load factor at 45 degrees?



HW: 

Review the AFM and PIM regarding steep turns.


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