DESCENDING 60° STEEP TURN (DUAL FLIGHT ONLY)

These 60°-bank-descending turns are excellent for developing precise attitude control with respect to pitch inputs; if the pitch and bank inputs are not precise, the manoeuvre will quickly destabilize and the errors will become readily apparent. 

Procedure

At an operationally safe altitude, and after checking adjacent airspace for vicinity traffic, establish the aircraft in straight and level flight at 95 MPH (or as recommended by the manufacturer) using a prominent geographic feature.  To begin, allow the aircraft to roll smoothly and slowly through 45° of bank to 60° bank.  As the 45°-bank marker on the attitude indicator is passed, set power to 2000 RPM and smoothly adjust pitch to maintain a target speed of 95-MPH.  When the 360° turn is complete, exit the bank attitude first, and then smoothly recover from the nose-down attitude.  As the nose returns to the level cruise attitude, adjust power to maintain 95 MPH.  Repeat manoeuvre using an opposite direction.

Flight Safety

• Solo practice of this manoeuvre is prohibited.
• The manoeuvre is restricted to utility category loading and must be approved in the Pilot Operating Handbook.
• Because this manoeuvre entails a rapid directional and altitude change, extreme caution must be used with respect to ensuring there is no additional traffic in your vicinity prior to and during this manoeuvre.
• Eyes should be checking outside the cockpit, using the instruments for only periodic crosschecking.
• Owing to the risk of rapid inadvertent acceleration, extreme caution must be used to ensure excessive loading is not placed on the aircraft and speed limits are not exceeded.