Learn to Turn And Expanded Envelope Exercises
CFI and Pilot Guide
Introduction
This guide is a complement to the Learn to Turn (LTT) and Expanded Envelope Exercises (E3) Focused Flight Review profile. The contents of this guide and profile are intended to be an advanced profile to help already proficient pilots grow their skills in a purposeful, informative, and fun way. LTT and E3 exercises were developed with the goal of preventing loss of control accidents. The term “exercises” is used throughout this document and the flight review profile to intentionally differentiate them from training maneuvers found in Airman Certification Standards (ACS) documents. Exercises differ from maneuvers in that they do not have prescribed completion standards. Emphasis for each exercise should be on executing it properly and learning from the purpose and connecting the maneuver to potential loss-of-control situations.
Foundational concepts
Learn to Turn (LTT)
Learn to Turn (LTT) was developed by Rich Stowell with the goal of reducing loss-of-control inflight (LOC-I) by better understanding how pilots find themselves in LOC-I situations. A key observation of the LTT concept is that airplanes only do what pilots tell them to do. Unfortunately, pilots in LOC-I accidents are attempting to recover from a precarious situation use the inappropriate control inputs for the situation that also happen to be the correct inputs to stall and/or spin the aircraft. LTT also emphasizes understanding the relationship between rate and radius of turns. Understanding this relationship and how to utilize it to the pilot’s advantage can be vital in a situation such as a canyon turn.
Expanded Envelope Exercises (E3)
The Expanded Envelope Exercises (E3), developed by Ed Wischmeyer, Ph.D., strive to prevent LOC-I by expanding the pilot’s comfort zone in the aircraft. This is accomplished by conducting exercises in a progressive manner that slowly allows the pilot to become more comfortable in-flight regimes closer to the edge of an aircraft’s performance envelope. E3 also emphasizes recognizing how pilot distraction can contribute to LOC-I accidents, especially in high-workload environments. Variations of the E3 exercises include introducing distractions. The final, major component of E3 exercises is recognizing the difference between when an aircraft is in an aerodynamic spin and when it is in a low-speed spiral. These differences are crucial because they may look very similar to a pilot in that situation, but they have very different recovery techniques.
Description of Exercises
Climb-out or Go-around Pitch Control
- Purpose
- Understand coordination of controls during high-power, high-pitch attitude situations
- Develop control feel for high-power climbs and turns during times of high workload
- Description
- Establish straight-and-level flight at just above stall speed
- Add full power
- Climb at Vx for 3 seconds
- Climb at Vx+5 for 3 seconds
- Climb at Vx for 3 seconds
- Repeat steps above in a 30° bank
- Common errors
- Fixation on airspeed
- Overcontrolling
- Over reliance on instruments
- Variants
- Use Vy
- Introduce distractions
Dutch Rolls (LTT and E3)
- Purpose
- Understand the results of pilot control inputs
- Develop skill and feeling of flight control coordination
- Description
- Moderate Dutch Roll (LTT)
- Slow cruise speed
- Bank angles up to 30°
- Variable Airspeed Dutch Roll (E3)
- Same as Moderate Dutch Roll using a range of speeds from approach to cruise
- Common errors (LTT)
- Using too much rudder
- Using too little aileron
- Lacking symmetry
- Inadvertent pitch
- Variants
- Various configurations using gear and flaps
- Introduce distractions
Varying Speed 360° Turns (E3)
- Purpose
- Managing high pilot workload
- Challenging situational awareness
- Develop greater understanding of the relationship between turn rate and radius
- Description
- Begin at Vy
- Select a bank angle of 30° - 45°
- Hold steady bank and altitude through turns
- Perform three continuous 360° turns changing the airspeed with each complete turn
- Turn 1 – Vy
- Turn 2 – Vy + 20
- Turn 3 - Vy
- Common errors
- Loss of situational awareness
- Over reliance on instruments
- Variants
- Change bank angle for each complete turn
- Configuration changes
- Be cautious of any aircraft limitations such as flap and gear extension speeds
Varying Pitch 360° Turns (LTT)
- Purpose
- Develop deeper understanding of flight control coordination and the role of the elevator
- Description
- Establish straight-and-level flight at a slow cruise speed and configuration
- Trim slightly nose down while maintaining level flight
- Establish a level, coordinated, medium-bank turn
- Note the amount of elevator required to remain level
- Smoothly apply back pressure, allowing the nose to rise, and establish a climbing turn
- Reestablish level flight
- Release some back pressure, allowing the nose to sink, and establish a descending turn
- Reestablish level flight
- Repeat the above exercise, then return to level flight
- Common errors
- Improper aileron and rudder coordination
- Allowing varying bank angles
- Overcontrolling
- Variants
- Try a variety of bank angles
Turning Stall
- Purpose
- Demonstrate aircraft controllability at or near stall
- Description
- Establish straight-and-level flight at an appropriate altitude
- Perform a normal power-on stall in 30° bank
- Recover in a 30° bank
- Common errors
- Improper aileron and rudder coordination
- Failure to maintain correct angle of bank
- Leveling wings before reducing angle of attack
- Variants
- Try both left and right banks
Runway Sidestep
- Purpose
- To prepare for handling a runway overshoot and drifting off centerline
- Description
- Utilize a runway with a parallel taxiway
- Begin with the aircraft at approach speed in a landing configuration
- Start at 500’ agl and 2nm from the end of the runway aligned with the centerline
- Be cautious of any terrain or obstacles at any distance from the runway at low altitudes
- Begin a normal descent to land
- Align with the center of the taxiway
- Stabilize for two seconds, then realign with the runway centerline
- Go-around or land on the runway centerline
- Common errors
- Planned continuation error
- Improper aileron and rudder coordination
- Utilizing turns that are too shallow or too steep
- Variants
- Base to Final Overshoot
- Start on a base leg and holding 500’ agl, overshoot the runway and align with parallel taxiway. Then continue to turn to align with the runway then go around
- Runway Drift
- Once aligned on runway centerline, drift to the left or right then correct back to centerline before landing or going around