RMIT Flight Training Steep Descending Turns RMIT Instructor Rating Mass Briefs Issue 1 /2004 Page 1 Brief 13 STEEP DESCENDING TURNS Aim: To understand the principles involved in descending an aircraft at a 45 AoB, maintaining balance and airspeed. Application: - Height loss manoeuvre within a confined space - Control coordination exercise Revision: Forces in a Steep Turn Forces in a Glide Descent: Principles: - The vertical component of lift is reduced in both the descent and turn. - The combination of both manoeuvres produces a highly tilted lift vector. - Therefore, at the glide speed a high rate of turn and RoD will be achieved. - Back pressure will be required to maintain speed. W L D L W W L RMIT Flight Training Steep Descending Turns RMIT Instructor Rating Mass Briefs Issue 1 /2004 Page 2 Brief 13 Considerations: Overbank / Underbank - Banking tendencies will tend to balance each other out. Load Factor and Stall Speed - Load factor and stall speed increases therefore fly faster (70kts) to maintain a safe buffer over the stall. Air Exercise: Pre-Entry - Trim for glide attitude - Select a reference point - Lookout Entry - Roll into steep descending turns, as you would into a steep turn (B B B) except that, you lower the nose for 70kts and apply a little back pressure. During - ALAP - If done correctly, descend 500ft every 360 Exit - Same as steep turn resuming glide attitude. Airmanship: - Lookout - Smooth but positive aircraft handling - Correct Handover/Takeover procedure A B Outer Wing Horizontal Distance Travelled Loss of Altitude L Inner Wing L Larger Angle of Attack