BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE ...

AFMAN 11-217V1 3 JANUARY 2005 29
resulting from the increased pitch attitude required to compensate for loss of vertical
lift. The increased drag will require additional power to maintain airspeed during a
turn. The additional power required will be less at high true airspeeds than at low
true airspeeds. At low airspeeds, particularly in jet aircraft, a large power change
may be required. If your response to this power change is slow, the airspeed may
decrease rapidly to the point where a descent is required to regain the desired
airspeed. Therefore, at low airspeeds, it may be desirable to add an estimated amount
of power as the turn is established rather than waiting for the first indication of a loss
in airspeed.
2.4.3. Steep Turns. A steep turn is considered to be a turn in which the angle of bank
used is larger than that required for normal instrument flying. For most aircraft the
normal instrument turn bank angle is 30°.
2.4.3.1. Entry into a steep turn. Entry into a steep turn is accomplished in the same
way as for a normal turn. As the bank is increased past normal, the changing lift
vector requires a larger pitch adjustment. The use of trim in steep turns varies with
individual aircraft characteristics and pilot technique. Additional power is required to
maintain airspeed as the bank is increased.
2.4.3.2. Maintaining the steep turn. During the steep turn, pitch and power control
are maintained in the same way as in a normal turn, however, larger pitch adjustments
will be required for a given altitude deviation. Varying the angle of bank during the
turn makes pitch control more difficult. Give sufficient attention to the bank pointer
to maintain the bank angle constant. Precession error in the attitude indicator is more
prevalent during the steep turns. If altitude loss becomes excessive, reduce the angle
of bank as necessary to regain positive pitch control.
2.4.3.3. Rolling out of a steep turn. When rolling out of a steep turn, you should be
alert to correct for the more than normal back trim, pitch attitude, and power used
during the turn. Roll out at the same rate used with normal turns. The performance
instruments must be crosschecked closely during rollout, since the attitude indicator
may have considerable precession error.
2.4.4. Timed Turns and Use of the Magnetic Compass. Heading indicator failure may
require use of the magnetic compass for heading information. Remember that this
instrument provides reliable information only during straight, level, and unaccelerated
flight. Because of this limitation, timed turns are recommended when making heading
changes by reference to the magnetic compass.
2.4.4.1. Accomplishing a timed turn. A timed turn is accomplished by establishing a
bank attitude on the attitude indicator that will result in a desired rate of turn as shown
by the turn needle. A single needle width deflection on a 4-minute turn needle
indicates 1 1/2° per second rate of turn, while a double needle width deflection
indicates 3° per second rate of turn. A fraction of the preceding amounts can be used
to simplify the timing problem. For example, 2/3-needle width deflection indicates
1° per second rate of turn while 1 1/3 needle widths indicates 2° per second rate of
turn.
2.4.4.2. Heading change. The heading change is accomplished by maintaining the