Private Pilot Maneuvers
Private pilot maneuvers are designed to test and develop a pilot's ability to safely control an aircraft under a variety of conditions. These maneuvers are part of the training and checkride process for earning a Private Pilot Certificate and are outlined in the Airman Certification Standards (ACS). Here's are the procedures for the tested maneuvers:
Steep Turns
Steep turns are performance maneuvers in which the aircraft is flown in a continuous turn with a bank angle of approximately 45 degrees. The purpose of steep turns is to develop a pilot's coordination, smoothness, and control while maintaining altitude and airspeed during high-bank-angle turns.
Pre-Maneuver Checklist (HELL Check):
Height: No lower than 1,500’ AGL
Engine: 90 Knots @ ~2100RPM, Electric Fuel Pump On, Instruments Green
Lookout: Two 90° turns / One 180° turn, Looking for Traffic
Landing Spot: Find an airport, highway, road, or field
Maneuver Procedure:
Begin a turn in either direction, making sure to keep your eyes outside, cross-referencing inside the aircraft every few seconds to ensure desired performance.
Once the aircraft reaches 30° of bank, simultaneously add 100-200RPM and one-full back-trim while rolling into 45° of bank.
Continue to keep your eyes outside once established, slicing the nose through the horizon, making adjustments as necessary.
About 30° before reaching your starting heading, begin to roll-out the aircraft, adding forward pressure, as it will have a pitch-up tendency.
Complete the maneuver with the aircraft on your original heading, altitude, and airspeed.
Standards:
Altitude: Maintain altitude within ±100 feet of the starting altitude throughout the maneuver.
Airspeed: Maintain airspeed within ±10 knots of the entry airspeed.
Bank Angle: Establish and maintain a 45° bank angle (±5°).
Heading: Roll out on the entry heading (or the specified heading) within ±10° after completing a 360-degree turn.
Coordination: Perform the maneuver in coordinated flight, meaning using proper aileron, rudder, and elevator control to maintain smooth, balanced turns without skidding or slipping.
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Power-Off Stalls
Power-off stalls are maneuvers used to simulate what might happen if an aircraft stalls during a landing approach or descent, when the engine power is reduced (or at idle). They are important for teaching pilots how to recognize and recover from a stall situation that might occur at low altitude, such as when on final approach to land.
Pre-Maneuver Checklist (HELL Check):
Height: No lower than 2,000’ AGL (Recovery no lower than 1,500’ AGL)
Engine: 90 Knots @ ~2100RPM, Electric Fuel Pump On, Instruments Green
Lookout: Two 90° turns / One 180° turn, Looking for Traffic
Landing Spot: Find an airport, highway, road, or field
Maneuver Procedure:
Reduce the power to 1700RPM.
While keeping eyes outside of the aircraft, maintain altitude while incrementally adding full flaps (10°, 25°, 40°).
Once the aircraft is configured and reaches 70 knots, pitch down and establish a constant decent, simulating an approach.
Once a descent has been established, fully reduce power and begin pitching-up the nose.
As stall speed approaches, the stall horn will warn the pilot of the impending stall.
Followed by this, the pilot will feel the controls get “mushy.” The aircraft will then begin buffeting, which feels similar to turbulence, due the separation of airflow.
Once the nose drops, also referred to as a “full break,” the pilot should pitch-down, add full-power (with right rudder), and immediately take the first set of flaps out.
When the aircraft begins approaching 70 knots, pitch the aircraft back up to about 10° nose-high.
After achieving a positive rate of climb, as seen on the Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI), reduce flaps to 10°, then 0°.
Continue climbing at 76 knots (Vy), until the aircraft reaches the desired altitude.
Standards:
Heading: Main ±10° during the stall, remaining on the same heading throughout the maneuver.
Coordination: Maintain coordinated flight throughout the maneuver using appropriate rudder inputs to avoid a spin during and after the stall.
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Power-On Stalls
A power-on stall simulates a stall that might occur during takeoff, climb-out, or when the aircraft is in a high-power, nose-high attitude, such as during a go-around. The maneuver helps pilots understand how the aircraft behaves in such situations and teaches recovery techniques in case a stall occurs when the engine is producing power.
Pre-Maneuver Checklist (HELL Check):
Height: No lower than 2,000’ AGL (Recovery no lower than 1,500’ AGL)
Engine: 90 Knots @ ~2100RPM, Electric Fuel Pump On, Instruments Green
Lookout: Two 90° turns / One 180° turn, Looking for Traffic
Landing Spot: Find an airport, highway, road, or field
Maneuver Procedure:
Reduce the power to 1700RPM.
While keeping eyes outside of the aircraft, maintain attitude and reduce speed to 70 knots.
Increase to full-power while allowing the nose to rise, anywhere from 10° to 20° of pitch-up.
As stall speed approaches, the stall horn will warn the pilot of the impending stall.
Followed by this, the pilot may feel the controls get “mushy.” The aircraft will then begin buffeting, which feels similar to turbulence, due the separation of airflow.
Once the nose drops, also referred to as a “full break,” the pilot should pitch-down and maintain full-power (with right rudder).
When the aircraft begins approaching 70 knots, pitch the aircraft back up to about 10° nose-high.
Continue climbing at 76 knots (Vy), until the aircraft reaches the desired altitude.
Standards:
Heading: Main ±10° during the stall, remaining on the same heading throughout the maneuver.
Coordination: Maintain coordinated flight throughout the maneuver using appropriate rudder inputs to avoid a spin during and after the stall.
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Slow Flight:
Slow flight is a maneuver where the aircraft is flown at or near its minimum controllable airspeed while maintaining altitude and control. This is typically just above stall speed, allowing the pilot to become familiar with the aircraft's handling characteristics in this low-speed regime. It’s a key maneuver in private pilot training and focuses on precise control of the aircraft’s pitch, bank, and speed while in a high-drag, low-lift condition. The primary goal is to help pilots understand how the aircraft behaves at slow speeds, such as during takeoff and landing phases, when the aircraft is more vulnerable to stalls and less responsive to control inputs. Slow flight also trains pilots to make smooth, coordinated control inputs and manage power and trim effectively.
Pre-Maneuver Checklist (HELL Check):
Height: No lower than 1,500’ AGL
Engine: 90 Knots @ ~2100RPM, Electric Fuel Pump On, Instruments Green
Lookout: Two 90° turns / One 180° turn, Looking for Traffic
Landing Spot: Find an airport, highway, road, or field
Maneuver Procedure:
Select a target airspeed and altitude to maintain.
Reduce the power to 1700RPM.
While keeping eyes outside of the aircraft, maintain altitude while incrementally adding full flaps (10°, 25°, 40°). The nose will want to “balloon,” or pitch-up. Make adjustments as necessary.
Once the aircraft is configured and reaches 65 knots, maintain this airspeed at your specified altitude.
For changes in altitude, adjust power to correct. For airspeed deviations, adjust pitch to correct.
While completing turns, make sure to bank no more than 15°.
For recovery, add full-power while keeping the nose level.
Incrementally remove the flaps, making pitch adjustments as necessary to prevent the nose from dropping.
Complete the maneuver on your selected altitude and heading, at a cruise airspeed.
Standards:
Altitude: Maintain altitude within ±100 feet of the entry altitude throughout the maneuver.
Airspeed: Maintain airspeed within ±10 knots of the entry airspeed.
Control and Coordination: Use proper control inputs to prevent adverse yaw and maintain a straight flight path. Adjust the bank angle and pitch attitude as necessary to maintain altitude and airspeed.
Heading: Maintain a constant heading throughout the maneuver, with a maximum deviation of ±10° from the original heading.
Turns: Execute turns during slow flight with a bank angle typically no more than 20°.
Smoothness: Conduct all maneuvers in a smooth and controlled manner, avoiding abrupt control inputs or excessive altitude loss.
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S-Turns
S-Turns across a road (or another straight reference line) are designed to help pilots practice maintaining a constant radius of turn on either side of a straight ground reference while compensating for wind. The pilot flies a series of half circles, alternating directions, creating an "S" pattern over the ground.
Pre-Maneuver Checklist (HELL Check):
Height: 600’ to 1,000’ AGL
Engine: 90 Knots @ ~2100RPM, Electric Fuel Pump On, Instruments Green
Lookout: Two 90° turns / One 180° turn, Looking for Traffic
Landing Spot: Find an airport, highway, road, or field
Maneuver Procedure:
Choose a straight reference line, such as a road, a river, or a railroad track, that is clearly visible from the air.
Fly directly across the reference line at a 90° angle, entering the maneuver on a downwind heading. This means that the wind is behind you as you cross the line.
Start a turn to the left or right. Since you are downwind, you will need to increase the bank angle to maintain a constant radius due to the increased groundspeed.
As you turn into the wind, be prepared to decrease the bank angle to keep the same radius of turn as the groundspeed decreases.
As you complete the first half-circle, you will cross the reference line again. You should be at the opposite side of the reference line from where you started.
Initiate a turn in the opposite direction (right turn if the first was a left turn) after crossing the reference line.
As you are now turning downwind, your groundspeed will increase, so you may need to increase the bank angle to maintain the same turn radius.
Continue to alternate turns, creating a continuous "S" shape over the ground as you maintain a constant radius on each half-circle.
Maintain altitude and ensure that the aircraft remains in coordinated flight.
Standards
Altitude: Maintain altitude within ±100 feet of the entry altitude throughout the maneuver.
Airspeed: Maintain airspeed within ±10 knots of the entry airspeed throughout the maneuver.
Bank Angle: Establish and maintain a bank angle of approximately 45° (±5°) during the turns.
Heading: Roll out on the desired entry heading (or specified heading) within ±10° after completing each half-circle.
Coordination: Maintain coordinated flight throughout the maneuver using appropriate aileron and rudder inputs to ensure smooth and balanced turns.
Turns: Perform turns of approximately 180° on either side of the reference line, ensuring a constant radius of turn while compensating for wind.
Smoothness: Conduct the maneuver in a smooth and controlled manner, avoiding abrupt control inputs that could lead to uncoordinated flight or altitude loss.
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Turns Around a Point:
Turns Around a Point involve flying a series of constant-radius circles around a fixed ground reference point. The pilot must account for wind to maintain a consistent distance from the point during the maneuver.
Pre-Maneuver Checklist (HELL Check):
Height: 600’ to 1,000’ AGL
Engine: 90 Knots @ ~2100RPM, Electric Fuel Pump On, Instruments Green
Lookout: Two 90° turns / One 180° turn, Looking for Traffic
Landing Spot: Find an airport, highway, road, or field
Maneuver Checklist:
Choose a prominent, easily identifiable reference point on the ground, such as a field, a building, or a water tower.
Begin the maneuver by flying directly toward the reference point on a downwind heading. This means that the wind is behind you as you approach the point.
Start the turn (typically to the left) as you reach the reference point. Aim for a bank angle of approximately 15° to 30° to maintain a consistent radius around the point.
As you are in the downwind (with the wind), you may need to increase the bank angle to maintain the same turn radius due to increased groundspeed.
As you continue the turn and begin to turn into the wind (upwind), decrease the bank angle to keep the aircraft on the desired flight path around the point. This is essential for maintaining a constant radius.
Make small adjustments to power, pitch, and bank angle as necessary to stay on the desired flight path.
To exit the maneuver, roll out of the turn when you are ready to return to straight and level flight, ensuring that you smoothly transition back to the starting heading and altitude.
Standards:
Altitude: Maintain altitude within ±100 feet of the entry altitude throughout the maneuver.
Airspeed: Maintain airspeed within ±10 knots of the entry airspeed.
Bank Angle: Establish and maintain a bank angle that allows for a constant radius turn, typically around 15° to 30°, depending on wind conditions.
Heading: Roll out on the desired heading within ±10° after completing the maneuver (or after a specific number of turns, if applicable).
Coordination: Maintain coordinated flight throughout the maneuver using appropriate aileron and rudder inputs to ensure smooth and balanced turns. Avoid excessive rudder inputs that could lead to uncoordinated flight.
Wind Compensation: Demonstrate the ability to adjust the bank angle and turn radius as necessary to maintain a constant distance from the reference point while compensating for wind drift.
Smoothness: Conduct the maneuver in a smooth and controlled manner, avoiding abrupt control inputs or excessive altitude loss.
