Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Flight Deck Forums > Tech Log
Reload this Page >

Calculation of turn radius?

Wikiposts
Search
Tech Log The very best in practical technical discussion on the web

Calculation of turn radius?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 30th Jul 2006, 10:17
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: EU
Age: 43
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Calculation of turn radius?

What's the easiest way to calculate a turn radius when all you have is the bank angle and velocity.

For example, calculate the turn radius of an aircraft at 45° bank and with an airspeed of 200 knots?

Any suggestions?

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=159674 and others
Founder is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 10:34
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Earth
Age: 61
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Founder
For example, calculate the turn radius of an aircraft at 45° bank and with an airspeed of 200 knots?
Turn radius = 3557.7 Feet
captain_jeeves is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 11:27
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Radius = TAS^2 / Tan Bank Angle / G

Where TAS is in Ft/sec, Bank Angle is in degrees, and G is in Ft/sec^s

Feel free to convert to a metric equivalent! Vive la difference!

Regards,

Old Smokey
Old Smokey is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 11:36
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Founder for other ATPL related questions Bristol GS have a really useful forum which is open to anyone to use.

http://www.jals.co.uk/forum/

Scroll down to the Technical subject areas and dive on in. Many of the questions and solutions in their forums are from actual exams.
potkettleblack is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 12:38
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Earth
Age: 61
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Old Smokey
Radius = TAS^2 / Tan Bank Angle / G

Where TAS is in Ft/sec, Bank Angle is in degrees, and G is in Ft/sec^s

Feel free to convert to a metric equivalent! Vive la difference!

Regards,

Old Smokey
Oops, I guess I missed the equation part.
captain_jeeves is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 14:01
  #6 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: EU
Age: 43
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Old Smokey
Radius = TAS^2 / Tan Bank Angle / G
Where TAS is in Ft/sec, Bank Angle is in degrees, and G is in Ft/sec^s
Feel free to convert to a metric equivalent! Vive la difference!
Regards,
Old Smokey
Thanx a lot for all your help, one question though, shouldn't it be TAS^2 / Tan Bank angle x G instead of / G ?

/Tim
Founder is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 15:08
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Correct as it stands if seen as a "one liner" in a computer programme, or as a sequence to be followed if using a calculator.
Written as a conventional formula, it looks more like this -

Turn Radius = TAS^2 /(Tan Bank Angle X G)

Regards,

Old Smokey
Old Smokey is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 18:22
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Above and beyond
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just a word of caution with the equation above. All units have to be in one unit or another. I.E Metres per second. I find if you are using nautical miles per hour (knots) (as a TAS) then an easy and general rule of thumb divide the TAS by 2 before squaring which gives you rough speed in m/s. Another quick tip, unless stated otherwise I assume G = 10. Makes the calcs a lot quicker and easier. and yes you are correct in thinking:

TAS^2/(TAN bank angle x G)

Tacho
TACHO is offline  
Old 30th Jul 2006, 20:09
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Founder, hey mate. Don't know if I'd start to take it square or divide or anything like that. I just take 1 % from the ground speed and it usually works.
So 250 kt GS 2,5 NM turn, its just rough calculation but its good enough.
Cheers.
popay is offline  
Old 31st Jul 2006, 12:34
  #10 (permalink)  


PPRuNeaholic
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Cairns FNQ
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As you've stated an "airspeed" of 200 knots, I can't tell whether you're referring to IAS or TAS. If the former, you need to account for altitude and temperature to derive a TAS.

Just for the hell of it though, I ran some calculations based on Pans Ops criteria for 200 KIAS, ISA +15, at various altitudes and came up with the following :-

2000 feet : 0.655 NM
4000 feet : 0.693 NM
6000 feet : 0.738 NM
8000 feet : 0.785 NM
10000 feet : 0.840 NM

These values would be used in procedure design, though I feel sure that a bank angle of 45 degrees would never be used in an instrument procedure design. Indeed, I'm not even sure that the forumula is totally accurate at that sort of bank angle.
OzExpat is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.