FAA Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA)Aerodynamics and Principles of FlightHard
During a steep turn at a constant bank angle, a pilot notices the airplane tends to increase its bank angle further without additional control input, requiring slight opposite aileron pressure to maintain the desired bank. This overbanking tendency is caused by:
- AGyroscopic precession from the rotating propeller disc
- BP-factor from the asymmetric loading of the descending propeller blade
- CThe outer wing traveling a greater distance and producing more lift than the inner wing
- DAdverse yaw generated by rudder deflection during the turn
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. The outer wing traveling a greater distance and producing more lift than the inner wing
In a steep turn, the outer wing travels a larger radius and therefore moves faster through the air than the inner wing, generating more lift and creating a natural tendency to roll further into the bank (overbanking tendency). This effect becomes more pronounced as bank angle increases and turn radius decreases.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Gyroscopic precession applies to rotating masses like propellers during pitch changes, not overbanking.
- B. P-factor relates to propeller asymmetric thrust, not wing lift differences in a turn.
- D. Adverse yaw is a separate phenomenon related to differential drag from aileron deflection.
Overbanking Tendency
In a steep turn, the outer wing moves faster than the inner wing (larger radius), generating more lift and tending to increase bank angle without additional input.
- Caused by speed differential between inner and outer wingtips
- Becomes more pronounced with steeper bank/smaller radius
- Requires opposite aileron pressure to maintain constant bank
Memory trick: Outer wing runs faster, so it wants to lift higher and roll more