Disclaimer

Students should use their textbooks, syllabus, and Airman Certification Standards (ACS) as their primary sources of information. EcFlight is an online training tool designed to simplify and enhance your ground school learning experience. However, it is not a substitute for FAA- or school-approved study materials. Before using these slides for study, always refer to your officially approved resources, such as the Jeppesen physical or electronic book and other FAA-approved materials.

Reference Books

• Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge(FAA-H-8083-25B). (2016). Oklahoma City, OK: United States Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Airman Testing Standards Branch.
• Commercial/Instrument Flying Handbook faa-h-8083-15B. (2012). Oklahoma City, OK: United States Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Airman Testing Standards Branch.
• Commercial Pilot Syllabus (10001785-003). (2015). Englewood, CO: Jeppesen
• Airplane flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B). (2016). Oklahoma City, OK: United States Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Airman Testing Standards Branch.
• ​Cessna. (1976). Pilot's Operating Handbook(D1057-13). Wichita, KA: Cessna.

Reference Media

• Commercial Lazy Eights. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJb2dYtxfpE&t=307s

Lazy Eight

Description

• The Lazy eight is a maneuver that is designed to develop the proper coordination of the flight controls across a wide range of airspeeds and attitudes.

• It can be loosely described by the ground reference maneuver, S-turns across the road. The lazy eight adds both a climb and descent to each 180° segment.

Procedure

Maneuver Setup

• Not lower than 1,500 AGL.

• Clear the area with two 90° degree turns.

• Adjust the pitch and power to maintain altitude and set cruise power​.

Pick 45°, 90°, and 135° reference points.

Entry

45° degree point

90° degree point

135° degree point

Demostration

ACS Standards

Eights-On-Pylons

Description

• The most advanced and difficult of the ground reference maneuvers.

• Similar to turns around a point except altitude is varied to maintain a specific visual reference to the pivot points.

• The goal of the eights-on-pylons is to have an imaginary line that extends from the pilot’s eyes to the pylon.

Procedure

• With eights-on-pylons, the pilot maintains the lateral orientation to a specific spot on the ground.

• First, estimate the pivotal altitude. 

• The pivotal altitude is the altitude at which, for a given ground speed, the projection of the visual reference line to the pylon appears to pivot.

• The pivotal altitude is critical and changes with variations in groundspeed.

• Fly at maneuvering speed and at the calculated pivotal altitude for the entry point.

• The plane is then placed in a medium-banked turn. The projected visual reference line appears to move forward along the ground (pylon moves back) as the airplane turns.

• The pilot then executes a climb to an altitude well above the pivotal altitude to hold the pylon inside the reference point.

• If the pilot continues the climb or descends below/above the pivotal altitude, the projected visual reference line with respect to the pylon will begin to move forward or rearward.

• Selecting proper pylon is an important factor in successfully performing eights-on-pylons.

• They should be sufficiently prominent so the pilot can view them when completing the turn around one pylon and heading for the next.

• The reference line should appear to pivot on the pylon. As the airplane heads upwind, the ground speed decreases, which lowers the pivotal altitude.

• If the visual reference line appears to move ahead of the pylon, the pilot should increase altitude.

• If the visual reference line appears to move behind the pylon, the pilot should decrease altitude.

Demonstration

ACS Standards

Steep Spirals

Description

• maneuver for rapidly dissipating substantial amounts of altitude while remaining over a selected spot.

• Affective for emergency descents or landings.

• A steep spiral is a gliding turn where the pilot maintains a constant radius around a surface-based reference point while rapidly descending—similar to the turns around a point maneuver.

Procedure

• At least three 360° turns are completed

• Clear the airspace for traffic and hazards. 

• the throttle is closed to idle, carburetor heat is applied if equipped, and gliding speed is established.

• The steepest bank should not exceed 60°.

• The gliding spiral should be a turn of constant radius while maintaining the airplane’s position to the reference.

ACS Standards

Power-Off 180 Accuracy Approach and Landing

Description

• The 180° power-off approach is executed by gliding with the power off from a given point on a downwind leg to a preselected landing spot.

• Judge height through the indications of the altimeter and associating them with the appearance of the Earth. 

• Ability to estimate gliding angle and its resultant distance is extremely important.

Procedure

ACS Standards

Steep Turns

Steep turns consist of single to multiple 360° to 720° turns, in either or both directions, using a bank angle of 50°. The objective of the steep turn is to develop a pilot’s skill in flight control smoothness and coordination, and division of attention with outside references.

Step One

• The maneuver should begin with an airspeed below maneuvering speed (VA) appropriate to the current weight of the airplane. Before commencing the maneuver make sure to perform two clearing turns to scan the area for traffic.

Step 2 

• Select and entry reference or heading and roll into a 50 ° degree bank and simultaneously increase the angle of attack to hold altitude (due to the decrease in the vertical component of lift) while increasing power (due to an increase in induced drag) to sustain your entry airspeed.

Step Three

• In order to sustain altitude, establish a reference point above the horizon and hold a portion of the engine cowling along this point. The reference spot is typically located at a point approximately one to two inches above the horizon line.

• Cross-check the airspeed, altimeter and VSI needles to make corrections. Any deviation of your panel instruments from their desired indications should be corrected by looking outside.

Step Four

• 20° before the entry heading, start rolling out of the steep turn and anticipate a gain in the vertical lift by pushing the yoke as necessary to maintain altitude. Begin a turn in the opposite direction to complete a 720° steep turn.

Common Errors

• Failure to maintain a constant bank angle
• Poor flight control coordination
• Ineffective use of trim

• Ineffective use of power
• Inadequate airspeed control
• Becoming disoriented
• Performing by reference to the flight instrument rather
   than visual references
• Failure to scan for other traffic during the maneuver
• Attempts to start recovery prematurely
• Failure to stop the turn on designated heading

ACS Standards

Demonstration

Chandelles

Objective

A chandelle is a maximum performance, 180° climbing turn that begins from approximately straight-and-level flight and concludes with the airplane in a wings-level, nose-high attitude just above stall speed. The goal is to gain the most altitude possible for a given bank angle and power setting.

Procedure 

Common Errors 

• Initial bank is too shallow resulting in a stall

• Initial bank is too steep resulting in failure to gain maximum       performance

• Allowing the bank angle to increase after initial establishment

• Not starting the recovery at the 90° point in the turn

• Allowing the pitch attitude to increase as the bank is rolled out     during the second 90° of turn

• Leveling the wings prior to the 180° point being reached
 

• Pitch attitude is low on recovery resulting in airspeed well above stall speed

• Application of flight control pressures is not smooth

• Poor flight control coordination

• Stalling at any point during the maneuver

• Execution of a steep turn instead of a climbing maneuver

• Not scanning for other traffic during the maneuver

• Performing by reference to the flight instrument rather than visual references

ACS Standards

Demonstration