bank angle
12-04-2009, 11:27 AM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Posts: 8
bank angle
I was wondering is it safe to roll into a 60 or 70 degree bank in a cessna 152 or 172? As long as your slower than Va then you shouldnt have any worries of overstressing due to the fact that the wing will stall before it overstresses, correct? I also understand that stalling speed increases with bank angle so you wouldnt want to be too slow when in a very steep bank. So would it be ok to bank this steep? If so, at what airspeed? Va in the 172 I fly is 95kts.
12-04-2009, 12:21 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: EMB120 CA
Posts: 299
I was wondering is it safe to roll into a 60 or 70 degree bank in a cessna 152 or 172? As long as your slower than Va then you shouldnt have any worries of overstressing due to the fact that the wing will stall before it overstresses, correct? I also understand that stalling speed increases with bank angle so you wouldnt want to be too slow when in a very steep bank. So would it be ok to bank this steep? If so, at what airspeed? Va in the 172 I fly is 95kts.
12-04-2009, 12:28 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Position: E-170
Posts: 173
In theory, yes. Not quite sure if your Cessna would sustain flight at 70 degrees bank angle though at maneuvering speed, stall speed is almost doubled at 70 degrees bank. And if you are uncoordinated in the turn, the resulting stall could be interesting, might end up on its back. Also don't forget that the FAA legally would consider this acrobatic flight, at which point you'd need parachutes.
12-04-2009, 12:29 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Position: PT Inbound
Posts: 219
If you are below Va, you do not have the aerodynamic capability to (+ G) over-
stress the airplane. This means, no control input and/or wind gust or what have you will be able to over stress the airplane because the wing will accelerate stall before it generates enough lift to damage it.
That said, a 60 -70 bank is fine however, if you intend to maintain altitude, you may be in a position where if you pulled back enough to maintain alt, you could accelerate stall thus NOT maintaining altitude. It's not the bank that stalls the airplane, it's the require back pressure to maintain level that stalls the airplane
ie. 70 degrees + no back pressure still = 1 G (descending ofcourse) but no accelerate stall
stress the airplane. This means, no control input and/or wind gust or what have you will be able to over stress the airplane because the wing will accelerate stall before it generates enough lift to damage it.
That said, a 60 -70 bank is fine however, if you intend to maintain altitude, you may be in a position where if you pulled back enough to maintain alt, you could accelerate stall thus NOT maintaining altitude. It's not the bank that stalls the airplane, it's the require back pressure to maintain level that stalls the airplane
ie. 70 degrees + no back pressure still = 1 G (descending ofcourse) but no accelerate stall
12-04-2009, 12:39 PM
#5
Moderator
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: ATP, CFI etc.
Posts: 6,056
Returning to base after skydiving hops in a C182, we descend at 150 kts and up to 110 degrees bank. You'll get about 3.5 g's doing this as well as a very nice descent rate. It's perfectly safe as long as the air is fairly smooth. We wear parachutes as a precaution. It is standard practice, done year after year.
12-04-2009, 12:40 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2008
Position: Gulfstream 4SP & 5
Posts: 116
even if your below Va, you still neet to be aware of the "air quailty." If it is a turbulent, gusty day and your in a bank that steep, with the increased stall speed, you could get into an accelerated stall if you hita good spot of turblance. There should also be a chart in the POH that tells you the stall speed for a given bank angle.
12-04-2009, 12:42 PM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Posts: 596
I was wondering is it safe to roll into a 60 or 70 degree bank in a cessna 152 or 172? As long as your slower than Va then you shouldnt have any worries of overstressing due to the fact that the wing will stall before it overstresses, correct? I also understand that stalling speed increases with bank angle so you wouldnt want to be too slow when in a very steep bank. So would it be ok to bank this steep? If so, at what airspeed? Va in the 172 I fly is 95kts.
12-04-2009, 01:01 PM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: USAF
Posts: 1,398
)
12-04-2009, 01:21 PM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 348
I was wondering is it safe to roll into a 60 or 70 degree bank in a cessna 152 or 172? As long as your slower than Va then you shouldnt have any worries of overstressing due to the fact that the wing will stall before it overstresses, correct? I also understand that stalling speed increases with bank angle so you wouldnt want to be too slow when in a very steep bank. So would it be ok to bank this steep? If so, at what airspeed? Va in the 172 I fly is 95kts.
I'm not saying to go out and do 70 degree level turns to your hearts content. I'm just saying that you can, without overstressing the aircraft, bank beyond 70,90, 120, whatever, as long as you don't exceed the load factor limit, regardless of airspeed. Va just makes it so that you will stall the wing before exceeding the G limit.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
