Slipping in a turn will greatly increase its radius. That is likely your
problem. There is also no reason that you have to end your 180 aligned with
the runway. You can overshoot to the other side and come back. It is the
same as mountain flying, use turns to lengthen the approach if you need more
distance to descend. Also you might as well fly at least a half mile from
the runway on downwind since you aren't going to be doing this with less
than a mile of vis anyway.

Mike
MU-2

"xyzzy" wrote in message
...
Hmmm good point, my instructor has been on me to keep the downwind tight,
maybe I'm making it too tight. And also probably not rolling into the 30
degree bank fast enough.

slipping slowing down the turn, instructor sez to steepen the bank and
slip, because I am also rolling out on final too high.

Mike Rapoport wrote:

If you are having problems with turn radius you need to slow down. The
turns should be coordinated and if you are slipping (not enough rudder)
that will widen your turns too. Radius of turn at 80kts and 30 deg bank
is 973' which means that you need less than a third of a nm to make a
180. This should not be a problem as no IAP that I have seen has a
circling vis minimium less than that. Remember that turn radius goes up
as the square of the speed. Slow down.

Mike
MU-2


"xyzzy" wrote in message
...

All through my primary training I learned never to turn more than 30
degree bank in the pattern, and keep that ball centered. For four years
and about 230 hours I've flown by that doctrine.

Now I'm doing instrument and on circling approaches I'm learning that to
keep it close enough in on downwind and still get it around to final
lined up, I have to bank pretty steeply and sometimes even do slipping
turns to final. Plus I'm starting from an altitude about 400-500 feet
lower than the pattern altitude I am used to. so suddenly I am being
called upon to do steep turns in the pattern, sometimes uncoordinated,
and significantly lower than I usually fly patterns. I'm find it hard to
unlearn and as a result my circling approaches are all overshooting
final. So far I have always been able to get back to it while staying
coordinated and land with plenty of runway left. I'm finding myself
having an easier time doing that than banking more than 30 degrees in a
slip while only 300-400 feet AGL.

Did other IFR pilots have this difficulty in training and if so how did
you overcome it. Right now my plan is to go up to altitude and practice
slipping turns and just work at it with my instructor.