User Guide

Flight Simulator
20002000
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2000
86
Microsoft
Your experiment reveals that a steep turn with a constant altitude is
accompanied by a decrease in airspeed. Coupled with an increase in stall speed,
you may find yourself caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place if
you’re not careful.
As the stall speed increases and the airspeed decreases, the two may eventually
meet. What happens then? Yes, the airplane stalls. How might you prevent this
in a steep turn? Try adding power to prevent airspeed loss. Let’s try this. Once
again, don’t worry about making beautiful steep turns yet; ugly ducklings are
fine for right now. Hack your way through it, and I’ll teach you the proper steps
to the dance in a bit.
More Power to You
Start from the steep turn you were in prior to pausing the simulation.
1. Press P to reactivate the simulation.
2. Maintain the 45-degree bank in which the airplane is already established.
3. Add full power.
4. Once the bank and altitude are established, press P to pause the
simulation.
Notice that the increase in power allowed you to maintain approximately
110 knots.
There you have it. A nice steep turn without a decrease in airspeed. But suppose
the turn is really steep? Let’s say it’s at 60 degrees of bank. As we’ve already
discussed, at this bank angle, your stall speed increases from 50 knots to 70
knots. The question is, “Do you have enough power to keep the airspeed above
70 knots in a 60-degree bank turn?” You won’t know until you try another
experiment. Put that lab coat back on. Here you go.
2 G or Not to G
Start from where the simulation is paused.
1. Press P to reactivate the simulation.
2. While at full power, increase the bank to 60 degrees.
You’ll find that you’ll need a large increase in angle of attack to maintain
altitude. Be generous with that pull on the joystick.
The Tough Part
Here’s where pilots
often get themselves
into trouble. When
maneuvering for landing
with power at idle,
they make steep turns
to align themselves
with the runway.
Given their slow speed
and steep bank, the
airspeed and stall
speed converge. In
other words, while in a
steep turn, the stall
speed increases because
of increasing G-force
and the airspeed
decreases because of
increasing drag.
When the airspeed and
stall speed meet, the
airplane stalls. If
this happens close to
the ground, it’s a real
bad deal.
You’ll often hear this
type of stall called an
“accelerated” stall.
It’s accelerated
because of the high G-
force caused by a steep
turn.