PPL Checkride Guide
Chair flying / Steep Turns

Steep Turns

360° turns at 45° bank holding altitude and airspeed: division of attention, load-factor awareness, and smooth coordinated control at high bank angles.

Guided rehearsal is PremiumACS V.A: Steep Turns

Pre-Maneuver Checklist (CRAAC)

  1. Clearing turns: two 90° turns or one 180° turn; look for traffic
  2. Reference point: select a visual reference and set the heading bug
  3. Altitude: high enough to complete the maneuver at or above 1,500 ft AGL
    ACS minimums: slow flight and stall recovery complete ≥1,500 ft AGL; ground reference maneuvers enter at 600–1,000 ft AGL.
  4. Airspeed: at or below Va (105 @ 2,325 lb / 90 @ 1,900 lb kt)
  5. Configuration: fuel pump ON, lights ON, mixture RICH, flaps as needed

Setup

  1. Cruise checklist
  2. 95 KIAS (approx. 2,300 RPM)
  3. Note entry heading, set the heading bug

Execution

  1. Roll into a 360° turn with 45° of bank (Private), 50° for Commercial
  2. Add 100–200 RPM passing 30° of bank
    At 45° bank load factor is ~1.4 G: the lift vector tilts, back pressure raises AOA, induced drag rises, so the extra power holds airspeed. Stall speed increases ~19%.
  3. Maintain altitude and airspeed
  4. Roll out ½ bank angle (~22°) prior to the entry heading

Recovery

  1. Wings level on the entry heading, hold altitude
  2. Repeat in the opposite direction

ACS tolerances

  • Altitude ±100 ft
  • Airspeed ±10 kt
  • Bank 45° ±5°
  • Rollout heading ±10°

Common errors

  • Gaining altitude: too much back pressure
  • Losing altitude: not enough back pressure or power
  • Overbanking: reduce aileron, slight opposite pressure