Lesson Plan

S-Turns Across A Road

Objectives

  • Maintaining a specific relationship between the airplane and the ground.
  • Dividing attention between the flightpath, groundbased references, manipulating the flight controls, and scanning for outside hazards and instrument indications.
  • Adjusting the bank angle during turns to correct for groundspeed changes in order to maintain a constant radius turn—steeper bank angles for higher ground speeds, shallow bank angles for slower groundspeeds.
  • Rolling out from a turn with the required wind correction angle to compensate for any drift cause by the wind.
  • Establishing and correcting the wind correction angle in order to maintain the track over the ground.
  • Developing the ability to compensate for drift in quickly changing orientations.
  • Arriving at specific points on required headings

Elements

Examples

Common Errors

  • Failure to adequately clear the area above, below, and on either side of the airplane for safety hazards, initially and throughout the maneuver.
  • Failure to establish a constant, level altitude prior to entering the maneuver.
  • Failure to maintain altitude during the maneuver.
  • Failure to properly assess wind direction.
  • Failure to properly execute constant radius turns.
  • Failure to manipulate the flight controls in a smooth and continuous manner when transitioning into turns.
  • Failure to establish the appropriate wind correction angle.
  • Failure to apply coordinated aileron and rudder pressure, resulting in slips or skids.

Completion Standards

  • Clear the area.
  • Select a suitable ground reference area, line, or point as appropriate.
  • Enter perpendicular to the selected reference line, 600 to 1,000 feet AGL at an appropriate distance from the selected reference area
  • Apply adequate wind drift correction during straight and turning flight to maintain a constant ground track around a rectangular reference area, or to maintain a constant radius turn on each side of a selected reference line or point.
  • Reverse the turn directly over the selected reference line; if performing turns around a point, complete turns in either direction, as specified by the evaluator.
  • Divide attention between airplane control, traffic avoidance and the ground track while maintaining coordinated flight.
  • Maintain altitude ±100 feet; maintain airspeed ±10 knots.

References