Aerodynamics of Flight

5 , 0 0 0 f e e t 2 I0 0 I 0 20 20 I 0 I 2 0 0 STBY PWR TEST 4,430 feet 2,215 feet 5 , 0 0 0 f e e t 120 knots V2 1202 14,400 R = R = = = 2,215 feet 11.26 x tangent of the bank angle 30° 11.26 x 0.5773 6.50096 140 knots 2 I0 0 I 0 20 20 I 0 I 2 0 0 STBY PWR TEST 6,028 feet 3,014 feet V2 1402 19,600 R = R = = = 3,014 feet 11.26 x tangent of the bank angle 30° 11.26 x 0.5773 6.50096 Figure 5-62. Two aircraft have flown into a canyon by error. The canyon is 5,000 feet across and has sheer cliffs on both sides. The pilot in the top image is flying at 120 knots. After realizing the error, the pilot banks hard and uses a 30° bank angle to reverse course. This aircraft requires about 4,000 feet to turn 180°, and makes it out of the canyon safely. The pilot in the bottom image is flying at 140 knots and also uses a 30° angle of bank in an attempt to reverse course. The aircraft, although flying just 20 knots faster than the aircraft in the top image, requires over 6,000 feet to reverse course to safety. Unfortunately, the canyon is only 5,000 feet across and the aircraft will hit the canyon wall. The point is that airspeed is the most influential factor in determining how much distance is required to turn. Many pilots have made the error of increasing the steepness of their bank angle when a simple reduction of speed would have been more appropriate.