Teaching and Learning Flying - Private Pilot, Single-Engine Airplane

S-Turns Across a Road

A practice maneuver in which the airplane's ground track describes semicircles of equal radii on each side of a selected straight line on the ground

• Select a suitable altitude above 600 feet AGL
• Select a suitable ground reference line with an emergency landing area adjacent

Private Pilot PTS, VIII, B
• Explain associated procedures and wind drift correction
• Select suitable ground reference line
• Enter perpendicular to line at 600 to 1,000 feet AGL
• Division of attention, coordinated flight
• Constant radii on each side
• Reverse direction directly over reference line
• Altitude +/- 100 feet
• Airspeed +/- 10 kts

To develop the ability to compensate for drift during turns, orient the flightpath with ground references, and divide the pilot's attention

• Discuss definition, safety factors, tolerances, objectives, common errors, and other elements of S-turns across a road
• How to select a suitable altitude
  Add 800 feet (600 to 1,000) to surface elevation
• How to select a suitable ground reference line with consideration given to emergency landing area
  • Straight line ground reference oriented perpendicular to wind
  • Emergency landing area adjacent
• Orientation, division of attention, and planning
• Configuration and airspeed prior to entry
• Entry technique
  • Approach downwind, SLF, perpendicular to reference line
  • Directly over road, start first turn with relatively rapid roll into a relatively steep bank
• Wind drift correction
  Turn on downwind side of road
  Gradually shallow bank; decrease crab
  Upwind side
  Gradually increase angle of bank
  Maximum crab is at 90° points
• Tracking semicircles of equal radii on either side of selected ground reference line
  • Visualize and fly over desired semicircular ground tracks
  • Requires constantly changing rates of roll and bank
• How to maintain desired altitude and airspeed
  • Outside references +
  • Instrument cross-check
• Turn reversal over the ground reference line
• Coordination of flight controls
• Demonstrate S-turns across a road in flight
• Coach student practice
• Critique student performance

• Faulty entry technique
• Poor planning, orientation, or division of attention
• Uncoordinated flight control application
• Improper correction for wind drift
• An unsymmetrical ground track
• Failure to maintain selected altitude or airspeed
• Selection of a ground reference line where there is no suitable emergency landing area within gliding distance

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