How to Make a Turn in an Airplane

When you get ready to learn about making turns in an airplane, think about coordination. This is more complex than patting your stomach while rubbing your head, but it's very doable. You have to take into account two elements at the same time in order to execute a turn properly while flying.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Make sure that you are flying straight and level before you begin your turn. Keep a close eye on the altitude indicator, as well as on the turn-and-slip indicator and the artificial horizon while paying attention to the actual horizon, if you are flying with clear visibility.

2. Determine what altitude you want to be at once you complete your turn, and make a decision to keep your attention on the altitude indicator all through the turn so that you don't lose or gain any appreciable height. When you are being tested, this is one thing the flight examiner looks at.

3. Remember that you lose altitude when going into a turn, and keep in mind that, when flying, you gain altitude by adding more throttle, not necessarily by pulling back on the yoke. So be prepared to add throttle power as needed to maintain your altitude.

4. Turn the steering yoke in the desired direction to start the plane into a bank. Again, determine ahead of time how sharp you want the turn to be, and keep in mind that the steeper the turn, the higher the stall speed of the plane. This means that, if you have a Cessna 150 that stalls at around 50 mph in level flight, that same airplane stalls at 60 mph in a shallow-angle turn, and so on. You have to keep your speed up so that you don't stall.

5. Press the rudder pedal corresponding to the direction of your turn at the same time as you start your bank. While doing this, keep an eye on the turn-and-slip indicator. This tells you if you're pressing the rudder pedal with appropriate pressure. When the ball is centered, you are in an efficient, safe turn.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't let fear overtake you in a moment when you feel yourself losing altitude in a turn. This can cause you to pull back on the yoke, which puts the plane into a dangerous attitude (position). If you pull back on the yoke while in a turn, without adding enough power, you can stall the plane and send your craft into a spin.