THE PRIVATE PILOT LEARNING GUIDE

STOPPING A TURN CARDINAL DIRECTIONS Coordinated aileron and rudder pressure in the direction opposite When referencing the magnetic compass or heading indicator, always TURNS the bank will return the airplane to a level attitude. As with the associate one of the eight cardinal directions with the number on roll in the roll out of a bank attitude requires rudder deflection to the indicator. This will assist you in keeping spatially oriented and overcome adverse yaw. Relax elevator back pressure to return to a will be very important later in your training when you must visualize Rolling the airplane into a banked attitude results in a turn. Since the flight path is now curved there is an level pitch attitude as the bank attitude decreases. Neutralize the runway directions and while doing cross country navigation. controls when reaching a level sight picture. acceleration force. The increased force is directly related to the bank attitude used for the turn. A shallow As an aircraft rotates about its longitudinal axis, the lifting force bank attitude results in a slowly changing flight path, creating only a small increase in load factor. also rotates remaining perpendicular to the wingspan. When the airplane is in a bank, this redirected lift causes the airplane to turn. 60o As discussed earlier in this chapter, turning results in a curved flight path and additional load. The increase in load is due to centrifugal 40o force and is present anytime the airplane is turning. The centrifugal force combines with the airplane’s weight resulting in “load” opposite to lift. 20o 0o To maintain a level flight path while turning, additional lift must be produced to overcome this “load factor” by applying back pressure on the elevator control. The amount of back pressure depends on the bank angle; the steeper the bank the greater the load and the more back pressure required.

DIRECTION INDICATORS The compass card of the magnetic compass aligns itself with the Earth’s magnetic field. The card, which is marked in five-degree Heading Indicator increments, indicates the magnetic heading of the airplane. Most LF = 1.0 LF = 1.06 LF = 1.31 LF = 2.00 heading indicators do not, on their own, seek magnetic north. You must set the heading indicator to match the reading of the compass.

In flight, compare the readings of the compass and heading indicator Steepening the bank attitude creates a faster rate of turn and an a medium bank attitude with the ailerons and rudder neutralized. every 15 minutes and reset the heading indicator if necessary. increased load factor. The moderate increase in load factor is one You must, however, continue to hold elevator back pressure reason you will begin using shallow and medium bank turns. You throughout the turn to keep a level flight path. The cards of the magnetic compass and heading indicator are will use turns to redirect the flight path to a new heading. marked with letters and one or two digits representing directions If the ailerons are deflected the rudder needs to be deflected. measured from North. STARTING A TURN However, when the airplane is in the desired bank with the ailerons However, when spoken, Aileron pressure in the desired direction will begin rolling the neutral, the turn will continue without rudder deflection. The rudder headings will be described airplane into a bank attitude, but aileron pressure alone will not is used for coordination only and does not make the airplane turn. in a three-digit format. smoothly begin a turn. Deflection of the aileron control surfaces This is, unfortunately, results in yaw opposite the direction of roll. When you roll left with just one of many left aileron pressure only, the nose will yaw right. Rolling right with inconsistencies you right aileron pressure only will result in the nose yawing left. will encounter in aviation! To counteract this unwanted yaw, apply rudder pressure in the desired turn direction whenever the ailerons are deflected. As you begin rolling into a bank, the pitch attitude will tend to decrease. Correct this tendency with elevator back pressure. The amount of back pressure required will increase with increasing bank attitude Magnetic as the load factor increases. Compass Cardinal Directions

Your application of aileron, rudder, and elevator pressure to roll into a bank must be coordinated. This means the nose begins moving in the desired direction and toward the proper pitch attitude as soon as the roll begins. Side loads during turn entry indicate a lack of proper aileron and rudder coordination.

Roll will continue as long as the ailerons are deflected. As you reach a medium bank attitude, neutralize the ailerons. Relax rudder One Long Weekend May Be All It Takes pressure at the same time since the yaw due to the deflected aileron FINISH YOUR Call For Your Personalized Plan—Ask About a Free Logbook Review control surfaces is no longer present. The airplane will maintain PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE CALL TODAY AT 800-362-0808 OR VISIT WWW.AMERICANFLYERS.NET TEXAS • NEW JERSEY • CALIFORNIA • FLORIDA

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