The purpose of a clearing turn is a good lookout to ensure there aren't any other airplanes in a place you may soon be. In the case of a steep turn at a constant altitude you just look into the turn itself as you go so no need. For a stall or spin you will be descending rapidly and need to check the area ahead and below is clear. In most cases, the blind spot is below you on the passenger side; just remember the two jump planes that snuck up in each other's blind spots a couple years ago and collided. A pair of 90 degree turns (heading change, not bank angle!) or a 180 will do just fine. Just make sure you're checking the area below where you'll be stalling or spinning.badmash wrote:Every exercise we perform - steep turns, slow flights, stalls, and spins need some kind of clearing turns. What are the best types of clearing turns for each of these?
Thanks!
Clearing Turns
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Re: Clearing Turns
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youhavecontrol
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Re: Clearing Turns
I concur with lownslow.
This is what I teach:
Steep turn: Do a visual scan in the direction you plan on turning prior to making the turn, and then on occasion during the turn.
Slow Flight, Stalls, Spins: Do a 'look-out', aka clearing turn, which can either be a 180 degree or two 90 degree medium/gentle turns while scanning for traffic.
I can definitely say that on more than one occasion the look-out has saved me from getting uncomfortably close to an un-announced aircraft on the wrong frequency or in the wrong training area.
This is what I teach:
Steep turn: Do a visual scan in the direction you plan on turning prior to making the turn, and then on occasion during the turn.
Slow Flight, Stalls, Spins: Do a 'look-out', aka clearing turn, which can either be a 180 degree or two 90 degree medium/gentle turns while scanning for traffic.
I can definitely say that on more than one occasion the look-out has saved me from getting uncomfortably close to an un-announced aircraft on the wrong frequency or in the wrong training area.
"I found that Right Rudder you kept asking for."
Re: Clearing Turns
A few things I have learned from this forum:5x5 wrote:I am continually disheartened by the immediate response of so many posters here (many of whom should know better) that any question related to flight training needs to be answered with venom and distaste for instructors and flight schools in general.
1. Most instructors are incompetent and generally out to soak students for hours and money.
2. Flight schools are crooked. Every one of them is going to rip me off.
3. Everything I thought I knew about flying is wrong.
4. Pilots nowadays are stupid. In the old days we could learn to fly in 10 hours. Now we're dumb.
