Originally Posted by
fireflybob
I never meant to imply that the turn (in terms of angle of bank) was constant - in fact with wind it cannot be to achieve that track over the ground.
Lookout is a given and if you need to clear airspace you can waggle the wings (without turning) if you need to.
By "published method" I presume you mean the one shown on the CAA Standard "Overhead" Join? This including others which I sometimes see shows the descent on the dead side in a straight line which I consider is poorer for lookout for a/c below you. In short I don't think the descent on the dead side should be in a straight line. Another benefit of being in banked flight is that it is easier for other traffic to see you.
There is more than one way of skinning a cat but I wish people would stop bleating on about the US 45 degree join. If I go and fly in USA I would expect to obey their conventions and customs. There may well be merit in doing it that way but it's not the procedure we use in the UK.
Jez, I never knew this was so difficult!
Didn't think I was bleating on. I hadn't really considered it much before but perhaps we should consider whether the merit means it should be the way we do it here. Just coz it's different doesn't make it wrong!