On 11 Jun 2004 05:26:34 GMT, illspam (Jim Vincent)
wrote:

The reason is, actually, pretty simple: power planes have god-awfull
visibility; if you bank too steeply you lose visual contact with a key
part of the pattern.

Tom, that makes sense to me for a high wing plane, but not for a low wing
plane. My friend had been taught never to bank too much in the pattern because
of the stall risk, I think. Yet us glider guiders are taught exactly the
opposite. Maybe since we fly the pattern so much closer to stall speed?


Jim Vincent
CFIG
N483SZ


I think many instructors don't like to contemplate a student pilot in
a low, slow, steeply banked turn in an aircraft with low aspect
ratios - such as most simple, powered aircraft. Low aspect ratio
means relatively high drag, thus relatively greater airspeed decay, at
a given AOA, including the relatively high AOA likely in slow, steep
turns.

The argument I've heard for the safety of steeper bank angles is
that the pilot is less likely to make the anxiety-forced error of
thinking the aircraft can be hurried around its turn by the liberal
application of pro-turn rudder: a skidded turn which produces it own
pitch and bank effects that can lead to a stall/spin.

Gliders, with their higher aspect ratio wings, suffer less drag, thus
less airspeed loss, a a given AOA.