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FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL 75 errors made by students is the execution of steep banks more or less "by the number"; that is, they push the stick to one side, wait for the bank to attain the desired degree, and then apply the back pressure. This type of control use permits slipping during the wait for the bank to attain the desired steepness and, as a result, when the pressure is applied to the elevators it must be overapplied to stop the slip. This then causes too tight a turn, with consequent excessive loss of speed. This, in turn, often causes a feeling that all is not right, resulting in a release of the pressure, invariably too much. A series of forward and back stick movements results, usually accompanied by more or less rapid adjustments of rudder pressures which completely confuse the student and his only hope then is to recover and start over. This also gives a start to the very bad habit of "walking the rudder" in an attempt to correct errors in the position of the nose. Once this habit of "walking the rudder" is formed, the student has practically no chance of developing the "feel" of a steep turn or of perfecting his coordination since his basis for control action analysis is erroneous. "Walking the rudder" in steep or vertical banks is one of the most common of bad habits and one of the most destructive to good flying technique. If the proper coordination is achieved after an effort or two, the result is that the maneuver is performed at two altitudes - the one at which it was started and the one finally held after the slipping is corrected. Overbanking tendencies approach their minimum in steep turns. The steeper the turn the less they are present. This fact is usually forgotten by the student and he will have a tendency to hold off too much with the ailerons and use too little elevator, which will result in a decreased bank with the elevators making it a steeply banked climbing turn. This is particularly true in right-hand steep turns. In these the bank is usually too steep in the first place and has to be corrected. The application of the control pressures is awkward and the consequent holding off pressures are out of proportion. In addition to this, the difference between the rudder pressures usually required to the right and to the left will tend toward the use of insufficient rudder during the right-hand turns, which adds to the nose high tendency. Contrary to the prevalent popular belief, the rudder still functions in the normal manner. It should be coordinated the same as in all other turns and the pressure relaxed along with the relaxation of the ailerons. After the turn is established, a light rudder pressure may be necessary to counteract premature use of the elevators, its uses depending on the type of the airplane, its speed, and its horsepower. In ships of high horsepower there may be a tendency for the nose to be low during one turn and high in the other. This can only be counteracted with the rudder and this use should not be confused with the same effect caused by improper use of the elevators or failure to use sufficient rudder in establishing the turn. If the fallacy of the change of control function in steep turns or inverted flight is lingering in the student's mind, this is the best time to reexplain the control action, and eliminate the fallacy by demonstration. The functions of the controls are always the same 150310° -39---6
