Moose Turns

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Monday, May 24, 2021 at 01:17 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The article emphasizes the critical danger of cross-controlled stall-spins during low-altitude turns (e.g., base to final), often occurring when pilots attempt shallow banks and use rudder, leading to loss of control.
It argues that a steep bank (e.g., 45 degrees) is actually safer for avoiding spins than a shallow one, as a shallow bank combined with rudder significantly increases spin risk.
Invisible turbulence near the ground, especially on sunny/breezy days, is presented as another severe, often unrecognized, hazard that can instantaneously affect wing angle of attack, necessitating careful speed management and avoidance.

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I love Aviation Safety, and actually read it. The May 2021 article, “Moose Stalls,” echoes a difficulty also seen in soaring, the stall-spin in the turn from base to final, where the glider is closest to the ground.

Your box on page 5, “Steep Turns, Low To The Ground,” implies that the danger is angle of bank. While stall speed increases with bank angle, a steep bank actually decreases the risk of a spin. There is a greater risk of spinning with a shallow bank close to the ground. This is pretty well understood in soaring. Here’s the mechanism: