Turning

Purpose

To turn the aircraft onto selected headings during level, climbing, and descending flight using coordinated medium turns (30° bank).

Airmanship

• Before turning: Look over your shoulder in the direction of the turn, scan across, then back. Clear the area you are turning into.
• High-wing aircraft: Lift the wing (momentarily shallow the bank or roll slightly toward the turn) to visually check below the wing before committing to the turn.
• During the turn: Maintain a continuous lookout scan — do not fixate on instruments.
• After the turn: Re-orient yourself. Confirm your new heading and check your position relative to landmarks, traffic, and airspace.

Entering the Turn

The technique for entering a medium turn is summarized as Bank — Balance — Back Pressure:

1. Bank: Apply aileron in the direction of the turn to roll to 30° of bank. Use a smooth, positive control input.
2. Balance: Apply rudder in the same direction as the aileron to coordinate the turn and counteract adverse yaw. Keep the ball centered.
3. Back Pressure: As the bank establishes, progressively apply back pressure on the control column to increase the angle of attack and maintain altitude.

Maintaining the Turn

Once established at 30° bank:

• Bank: Hold with ailerons. Correct for the overbanking tendency with slight aileron pressure away from the turn.
• Balance: Keep the ball centered with rudder. Only small adjustments should be needed.
• Back Pressure: Maintain constant back pressure to hold altitude. Cross-check the altimeter and VSI.

Returning to Straight Flight

1. Anticipate: Begin rolling out approximately 15° before reaching your target heading (half the bank angle).
2. Roll out: Apply coordinated aileron and rudder to smoothly return to wings level. The rudder counteracts adverse yaw during the roll-out just as it did during roll-in.
3. Release back pressure: As the wings come level, progressively release the back pressure to avoid climbing. Return to the straight-and-level pitch attitude.

Climbing Turns

• Establish the climb first — set climb power, adopt climb attitude, allow airspeed to settle.
• Roll into a gentle turn: maximum 15° bank.
• Accept a slightly lower pitch attitude to maintain the climb speed — do not let the aircraft slow excessively.
• Expect a reduced rate of climb during the turn.
• Counteract the overbanking tendency by holding off bank with opposite aileron.
• Roll wings level before transitioning back to level flight.

Descending Turns

• Establish the descent first — reduce power (or close throttle for a glide), adopt descent attitude.
• Roll into the turn: up to 30° bank is acceptable due to the higher airspeed.
• Maintain the correct glide or descent airspeed using attitude (pitch).
• Be aware the rate of descent will increase during the turn.
• Counteract the tendency to roll out — in a descending turn, the inner wing has a higher angle of attack, which pushes the aircraft toward wings level. Apply aileron pressure to "hold on" the bank.

Slipping Turns

A slipping turn (or sideslip in a turn) is a deliberate cross-control technique: the aircraft is banked toward the turn while opposite rudder is applied.

• The bank provides the turning force, while the opposite rudder increases drag and steepens the descent without increasing airspeed.
• Greater slip (more opposite rudder) produces a greater rate of descent.
• Useful for losing altitude on final approach without gaining excessive speed — for example, when high on the approach path.