Steep Turns in the sims
 

Hi All
This is a questions asked in one of the airlines for a pilots upgrade interview

Why do we practice steep turns in the simulators when we actually never perform steep turns in real flying ?

What do you think is the reason

Thanks

To see if you can fly an airplane.

so true but to expand
 

It is a very good test of hand, eye, ( and possibly) feet coordination, plus scan is demonstrated, as well as lack of tunnel vision and dependent on the brief, CRM.....


Having said that, when briefed to include: pitch attitude of 2.5 nose up, 1600 per side burn, 250 kts etc, etc, it does become a numbers game, and with a HUD even more so.


But it does demonstrate all the points above mentioned.

You might use it if you get ATC saying "Unknown traffic 12 o' clock, avoiding action turn left heading 090 degrees"

Then you want to get the autopilot out and bank as much as you can to get round away from the traffic, passenger comfort goes out of the window just as it would with a TA alert, GPWS warning, or stall warner, you want to whip the aircraft in as tight a turn as you can.

I've had this twice now, rather good fun.

Pushing things to the limit in the sim also helps with unusual attitude recovery.

Indeed. Announcing you were going to ignore any GPWS bank angle warnings (hopefully just one) during the manoeuvre is an easy way to earn some brownie points for communication.

You may never suffer an engine fire in a life time of flying, but you still practice the procedure on a regular basis. Its all about maintaining your basic skills.

We don't practice steep turns in the sim.