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Steep Turns And Mags

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The discussion on "Steep Turns" explores the debate over whether the horizontal component of lift or elevator input is the primary control for turning an airplane, distinguishing between level turns at non-extreme bank angles and extreme maneuvering.
  • In-flight magneto checks, especially at altitude, cruise power, and lean-of-peak settings, are highly recommended for detecting subtle spark plug issues that often go unnoticed during ground checks.
  • A clarification is provided regarding RNAV approach altitudes, stating that Terminal Arrival Area (TAA) altitudes are operationally usable for descent upon clearance, unlike Minimum Safe Altitudes (MSA) which require a specific clearance.
See a mistake? Contact us.

I enjoy reading your journal. I just read your article, “Steep Turns,” in the September issue. Although it is well-written, I have an issue about the description that the horizontal lift component “actually” turns an airplane on page 9. 

As written in “Emergency Maneuver Training” by Rich Stowell, the primary turn control is done by elevator. As you see in videos of fighter planes, banking just pushes an airplane sideways by this horizontal component of lift. A trajectory of an airplane can look like a turn. But it should not be considered how an airplane “actually” turns. 

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