User Guide

Learning To Fly with Rod Machado
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Here’s the catch. If you and the airplane feel heavier because of anHere’s the catch. If you and the airplane feel heavier because of an
Here’s the catch. If you and the airplane feel heavier because of anHere’s the catch. If you and the airplane feel heavier because of an
Here’s the catch. If you and the airplane feel heavier because of an
increase in G-force, then you, the pilot, must compensate for theincrease in G-force, then you, the pilot, must compensate for the
increase in G-force, then you, the pilot, must compensate for theincrease in G-force, then you, the pilot, must compensate for the
increase in G-force, then you, the pilot, must compensate for the
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weight increase. You must increase the airplane’s lift if weight increase. You must increase the airplane’s lift if
weight increase. You must increase the airplane’s lift if weight increase. You must increase the airplane’s lift if
weight increase. You must increase the airplane’s lift if
it is to keep flying. Without compensating for this, the airplaneit is to keep flying. Without compensating for this, the airplane
it is to keep flying. Without compensating for this, the airplaneit is to keep flying. Without compensating for this, the airplane
it is to keep flying. Without compensating for this, the airplane
won’t be able to maintain altitude in a steep turn. It may evenwon’t be able to maintain altitude in a steep turn. It may even
won’t be able to maintain altitude in a steep turn. It may evenwon’t be able to maintain altitude in a steep turn. It may even
won’t be able to maintain altitude in a steep turn. It may even
stall. And you don’t want to become known as a pilot who stalls whenever he orstall. And you don’t want to become known as a pilot who stalls whenever he or
stall. And you don’t want to become known as a pilot who stalls whenever he orstall. And you don’t want to become known as a pilot who stalls whenever he or
stall. And you don’t want to become known as a pilot who stalls whenever he or
she makes a steep turn. Imagine the kind of nickname you’d get for that: Imeldashe makes a steep turn. Imagine the kind of nickname you’d get for that: Imelda
she makes a steep turn. Imagine the kind of nickname you’d get for that: Imeldashe makes a steep turn. Imagine the kind of nickname you’d get for that: Imelda
she makes a steep turn. Imagine the kind of nickname you’d get for that: Imelda
Impact, Steve Splatdown, or Chris Crater.Impact, Steve Splatdown, or Chris Crater.
Impact, Steve Splatdown, or Chris Crater.Impact, Steve Splatdown, or Chris Crater.
Impact, Steve Splatdown, or Chris Crater.
Increasing lift in a steep turn means you must
increase the angle of attack by applying back
pressure on the joystick. Lift must equal weight—real
weight or apparent weight—if the airplane is to
remain flying. That’s why steep banks require large
angles of attack to produce the lift necessary for
flight. You see what’s coming, right?
If you make too steep a turn, the airplane may reach
its critical angle of attack before producing sufficient
lift for flight. The airplane will stall. Now you’re
forced to recover from the stall before you can
continue flying.
Figure 1
Figure 2
You’ve just learned that an airplane’s stall speed
increases in a steep turn. While you may stall at 50
knots in straight-and-level flight, you may need 70
knots to keep from stalling when turning steeply.
Figure 2 is another graph, which allows you to
predict this increase in stall speed based on an
increase in G-force.
For example, in a 60-degree bank (Figure 1), the
airplane and its contents experience 2 G’s (that’s a
G-force of two). Figure 2 shows that 2 G’s gives you
a 40% increase in stall speed. Therefore, an airplane
stalling at 50 knots in level flight will stall at 70
knots in a 60-degree bank (40% of 50 added to 50).
STALL FACTOR & BANK
ANGLE CHART
Bank Angle in Degrees
Percent Increase in Stall Speed
A 60° bank
increases
stall speed
by 40%
LOAD FACTOR CHART
Bank Angle in Degrees
Load Factor G-Force
A 60° bank
produces a
load factor of
“2” or “2Gs”