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Spiral Dives

The aim of this exercise is to get students to recognize, enter, and recover properly from spiral dives.  On completion the students should be able to differentiate between a steep turn and a spiral dive, and be able to recover from this condition efficiently. The spiral dive is created during a steep turn when the angle of attack of the wings is not increased enough at the onset. The aircraft starts to increase speed and descend, and later application of back pressure on the controls is not effective at generating enough lift to overcome the descent. The key to the recovery is to:

  1. Ease back pressure and centralize the controls.
  2. Level the wings with co-ordinated use of the controls.
  3. Ease out of the subsequent dive by raising the nose to the normal gliding attitude.

The first point is the most critical and often overlooked by both instructors and other pilots. To successfully recover the wings must be brought level. If the back pressure on the controls is not released, it may be difficult to move the control column sideways to roll the aircraft level. Student must have properly executed steep turns up to 60 degrees of bank, with good command of yaw and speed control before attempting this exercise. The outline for this exercise is:

  1. Student checked on performance of CALL check. Linked turns coached to 45 degree bank angle.
  2. Initial turns entered from level flight. Student coached to proper nose lower entry attitude.
  3. Student checked on lookout.
  4. Student coached to 60 degree bank angle turn. Proper use of yaw string and pitch attitude required.
  5. Instructor takes control with student following through. Relaxes the back pressure in a steep turn and lets the speed build up. Then demonstrates that increasing the back pressure does not stop the speed increasing and the turn tightens.
  6. Instructor demonstrates the proper recovery technique, returning the aircraft to level flight.
  7. Instructor coaches the student through the above entry and recovery.
  8. Student then flies the rest of the flight as normal.

Spiral dives are steep, descending turns with increasing speed and g forces. They are best demonstrated by entering a steep turn and allowing the nose to drop a bit. Once the speed builds up, increased back pressure on the stick generally will not raise the nose and thus the spiral dive has begun.