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Teaching and Learning Flying - Commercial Pilot, Single-Engine Airplane
Steep Spirals
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DEFINITION
A steep spiral is a continuous gliding turn around a point. The
steep spiral maneuver consists of at least 3 gliding 360° turns
around a point with a maximum bank angle of 50° to 55° and
recovery toward a definite object or on a specific heading.
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SAFETY FACTORS
- Relationship to emergency forced landing situation
- Entry altitude to allow three turns and recovery above minimum safe altitude (1,500 feet AGL); Eg., above 4,500 feet AGL
- Lights on, CLEAR area with two 90° turns, left and right
- Mixture rich, prop in high RPM, check carb temp, CHT
- Maximum bank angle of 50° to 55°
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TOLERANCES
Commercial Pilot PTS, VI, D
- Explain performance factors related to steep spirals
- Select altitude high enough for at least three turns
- Select suitable ground reference
- Establish spiral with steepest bank 50° to 55°, at recommended airspeed and specified radius of turn
- Maintain constant radius in coordinated flight
- Divide attention among airplane control, planning, flight path, and orientation
- Maintain constant airspeed +10 kts
- Recover toward definite object or specific heading which leads into a pattern over an area that could be used for a forced landing
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OBJECTIVES
- To improve pilot techniques for power-off turns, wind drift control,
planning, orientation, and division of attention.
- To provide a practical procedure for dissipating altitude while
remaining over a selected spot in preparation for landing, especially
for emergency forced landings
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PROCEDURES
- Review turns around a point, steep turns, engine failure and forced landing procedures
- Discuss definition, safety factors, tolerances, objectives, and other elements, related to steep spirals
- Entry technique
- Appropriate altitude
- Lights on, CLEAR area
- Select reference point
- Mixture rich, prop in high RPM, check carb temp, CHT
- Throttle to idle, trim for best glide (09T, 80 kts)
- Downwind, abeam reference point
- Gliding spiral
- Bank in desired direction when abeam reference point
- Correct for wind drift to maintain constant radius from point
- Maintain constant airspeed (80 kts)
- Downwind
- Upwind
- Clear engine by brief advance of throttle to approx cruise setting
- Recovery technique
- Smooth, coordinated rollout toward an object or on a heading
- Maintain constant airspeed, straight glide
- May set up landing approach
- Demonstrate a steep spiral in flight
- Coach student practice of steep spirals
- Critique student performance
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COMMON ERRORS
- First turn radius too large, subsequent radii smaller
- Done unconsciously to keep reference in sight
- Result is gliding around a "cone" instead of the desired "cylinder"
- Losing the reference in the highest turn
- Poor pitch and bank control
Airspeed and bank allowed to increase too much
- Poor wind drift correction
- Not completing 1080° of turn (or as directed)
- Losing track of the number of turns
- Improper recovery
Using outside references allows more accurate directional control
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