Maneuvers such as turns around a point and slow flight help you perfect your control of the aircraft. Get advice on mastering ground reference maneuvers and stalls, and on understanding the aerodynamics behind it all.
Before you head out to the practice area, understand the fundamentals of what makes your airplane fly.
Essential Aerodynamics Air Safety Institute online course (login required)
The four forces
Flight controls
Flight control forces
Clearing turns, proper scan technique, and good situational awareness will help you avoid other traffic during maneuvers.
Climbs, descents, turns, and stalls
Collision Avoidance Safety Advisor (PDF)
Avoiding midair collisions
Steep turns demand precise flying and an understanding of aerodynamic principles such as load factor and the horizontal component of lift.
Steep turns
All types of turns
Ground reference maneuvers demonstrate your understanding of wind drift and ability to divide your attention between the airplane and the ground.
Rectangular course
S-turns
Turns about a point
Practicing slow flight will cultivate your feel for the airplane’s handling at the edge of an aerodynamic stall. You’ll then graduate to practicing your response to stalls, which happen when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack and loses lift.
Slow flight
Power-on stalls
All sorts of stalls
Stalls FAQs
Stall + Yaw = Spin