Accredited Activity Information

This WINGS activity expands upon previous glider training and builds upon a number of airplane performance maneuvers applied to a glider. Steep turns are a fundamental element of soaring flight. They are tested in both the Private and Commercial Pilot Glider PTS. The description here however is augmented by elements from the Commercial Airplane ACS which expands on the knowledge and introduces the risk management items the pilot needs to consider. The tasks for Chandelles and Lazy Eights are each testable in the Commercial Pilot– Airplane Airman Certification Standards. Minor modifications to the ACS wording have been made to focus the activity to use in a glider. A fourth task, is the Max Performance of the High Drag Devices. This task is not found in any PTS or ACS. It is also not explained in any of the handbooks. It is however, a very effective technique for rapidly descending in a safe and stabilized manor. The task description outlines the procedure to perform the task.

Steep Turns

References:

FAA-S-8081-22 Private Pilot Practical Test Standard for Glider

FAA-S-ACS-7 Commercial Pilot – Airplane Airman Certification Standards

FAA-H-8083-2 Risk Management Handbook

FAA-H-8083-13 Glider Flying Handbook, Chapter 7

POH/AFM.

Knowledge:

1. Purpose of steep turns.
2. Aerodynamics associated with steep turns, to include:
   • Coordinated and uncoordinated flight
   • Overbanking tendencies
   • Maneuvering speed determination and its significance when maneuvering
   • Load factor and accelerated stalls
   • Rate and radius of turn

Risk Management:

1. Failure to divide attention between aircraft control and orientation.
2. Collision hazards, to include aircraft and terrain.
3. Low altitude maneuvering including, stall, spin, or CFIT.
4. Distractions, improper task management, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation.
5. Failure to maintain coordinated flight.

Skills:

1. Clear the area.
2. Establish an airspeed which provides minimum sink speed for the bank angle used. The airspeed should provide margin from stall and not to exceed V_A.
3. Enter a 720° turn maintaining a bank angle of 45° (±5°), with smooth and coordinated control applications.
4. Maintain airspeed ±10 knots.
5. Roll out on the entry heading ±10°.
6. Perform the Steep Turns in both directions.

Chandelles

Reference:

FAA-S-ACS-7 Commercial Pilot – Airplane Airman Certification Standards

FAA-H-8083-2 Risk Management Handbook

FAA-H-8083-3 Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 10

POH/AFM.

Knowledge:

1. Purpose of chandelles.
2. Aerodynamics associated with chandelles, to include:
   • Coordinated and uncoordinated flight
   • Overbanking tendencies
   • Maneuvering speed, including the impact of weight changes
   • Accelerated stalls
3. Appropriate aircraft configuration for maximum performance climb.
4. Proper pitch control required for continuously decreasing airspeed.

Risk Management:

1. Failure to divide attention between aircraft control and orientation.
2. Collision hazards, to include aircraft and terrain.
3. Low altitude maneuvering, including stall or spin.
4. Distractions, loss of situational awareness, or improper task management.
5. Failure to maintain coordinated flight.
6. Failure to manage energy state.
7. Rate and radius of turn with confined area operations.

Skills:

1. Clear the area.
2. Select an altitude that will allow the maneuver to complete no lower than 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL).
3. Establish the appropriate entry airspeed.
4. Establish the angle of bank at approximately 30°.
5. Simultaneously apply pitch to maintain a smooth, coordinated climbing turn, in either direction, to the 90° point, with a constant bank and continuously decreasing airspeed.
6. Begin a coordinated constant rate rollout from the 90° point to the 180° point maintaining a constant pitch attitude.
7. Complete rollout at the 180° point, ±10° just above a stall airspeed, and maintaining that airspeed momentarily avoiding a stall.
8. Resume a straight-and-level flight with minimum loss of altitude

Lazy Eights

Reference:

FAA-S-ACS-7 Commercial Pilot – Airplane Airman Certification Standards

FAA-H-8083-2 Risk Management Handbook

FAA-H-8083-3 Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 10

POH/AFM.

Knowledge:

1. Purpose of lazy eights.
2. Aerodynamics associated with lazy eights, to include:
   • Coordinated and uncoordinated flight.
   • Maneuvering speed
   • Accelerated stalls
3. Performance and airspeed limitations.
4. Phases of the lazy eight maneuver from entry to recovery.

Risk Management:

1. Failure to divide attention between aircraft control and orientation.
2. Collision hazards, to include aircraft and terrain.
3. Low altitude maneuvering, including stall or spin.
4. Distractions, loss of situational awareness, or improper task management.
5. Failure to maintain coordinated flight.
6. Failure to manage energy state.
7. Accelerated stalls.

Skills:

1. Clear the area.
2. Select an altitude that will allow the maneuver to complete no lower than 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL).
3. Establish the recommended entry configuration and airspeed.
4. Maintain coordinated flight throughout the maneuver.
5. Complete the maneuver in accordance with the following:
   • Approximately 30° bank at the steepest point
   • Constant change of pitch and roll rate
   • Airspeed at the 180° point, ±10 knots from entry airspeed
   • Heading at the 180° point, ±10°
6. Continue the maneuver through the number of symmetrical sequences specified, then resume straight-and-level flight

Max performance of the high drag devices

As previously stated, this maneuver is not found in any of the testing standards or handbooks. It is however a simple technique which builds upon the drag equation to maximize the use of the glider’s high drag devices (spoilers/dive brakes).

Knowledge:

1. Purpose of maximizing the use of high drag devices.
2. Maneuvering speed determination and its significance when maneuvering.
3. Load factor and accelerated stalls.

Risk Management:

1. Failure to divide attention between aircraft control and orientation.
2. Collision hazards, to include aircraft and terrain.
3. Low altitude maneuvering including CFIT.

Procedure

1. Clear the area
2. Slow the glider to its published minimum sink speed.
3. Fully deploy the high drag devices.
4. Smoothly pitch the glider’s nose down to accelerate and establish a dive while maintaining an airspeed less than V_A.
5. Approaching the desired altitude, smoothly raise the nose to a normal cruise pitch attitude while maintaining full high drag device deployment.
6. When the glider decelerated to the desired cruise speed, retract and lock the high drag devices.
7. Recover in cruise flight above 1500 feet AGL.