AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2020 - 94

P&E

AIRCRAFT POSITION (FEET NORTH OF START)

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checklist
missing
something?

TECHNIQUE

TURN DIAMETER

2000

1500

CHANDELLE

1000

500

CANYON

TURN

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

AIRCRAFT POSITION (FEET WEST OF START)

500

FEET

Figure 1. These two curves show the ground tracks of a chandelle and a canyon turn for a Beechcraft Bonanza.
Both turns were made to the left in a no-wind scenario. The chandelle track was generated using a simulation in

THESE TWO
curves
show
theat ground
tracksmaneuvering
of a chandelle
and
a canyon
a stall
which
the aircraft
started
the reduced-weight
speed of 117
knots
and slowedturn
to thefor
published

of 63 knotsBoth
using aturns
30 degree
bankmade
during the
halfleft
of thein
maneuver.
The level
canyon turnThe
used full ﬂaps,
Beechcraftspeed
Bonanza.
were
toﬁrst
the
a no-wind
scenario.
a 45 degree bank turn and 80 knots (found by adding a 20% buﬀer to the reduced-weight stall speed for the level
chandelle turn).
track
was
generated
using
which
the aircraft
started
at the
A 60
degree
bank level canyon
turnaatsimulation
95 knots wouldin
shave
an additional
200 feet oﬀ
the diameter
of the turn
and if losing
altitude in the turnspeed
were an option,
turn diameter
would be smaller
still.published
The chandellestall
is not speed
the
reduced-weight
maneuvering
of 117the
knots
and slowed
to the
choice for reversing course in a conﬁned area.
of 63 knots using a 30-degree bank during the first half of the maneuver. The level
canyon turn used full flaps, a 45-degree bank turn and 80 knots (found by adding a
20-percent buffer to the reduced-weight stall speed for the level turn). A 60-degreebank level canyon turn at 95 knots would shave an additional 200 feet off the diameter
of the turn and if losing altitude in the turn were an option, the turn diameter would be
smaller still. The chandelle is not the choice for reversing course in a confined area.

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The chandelle is a beautiful maneuver
but, by any obvious metric-small turn
radius or gain in altitude-it is not a maximum performance maneuver. Reversing
course with a small turn radius would
necessitate a greater bank angle (see "Take
it to the Bank," May 2020 AOPA Pilot). And
most of the maneuver is not flown at the
best rate of climb speed, and climb rate
suffers dramatically once the airspeed
decays below VY.
The technique to reverse course in
the box canyon typically involves a steep
turn at the slowest possible airspeed to
execute a tight turn. Because stall speed
increases with the load factor, a level
turn with steep bank angle will require
a faster airspeed in order to avoid a stall.
If losing some altitude is an option,
then the turn radius can be decreased
by using a very steep bank and allowing
the aircraft to descend in the turn. With
a smaller load factor, a slower airspeed
can safely tighten the turn even more.
Finally, turning into the wind allows the
footprint of the maneuver to become
smaller still. The figure above compares
94 | AOPA PILOT September 2020

the no-wind turn radius for the chandelle and the level box canyon turn for
the Beechcraft Bonanza. The chandelle
should not be considered as a way to exit
a confined area, especially if high density
altitudes have produced poor climb rates
and descending isn't an option.
One of the knowledge items listed in
the Commercial Pilot Airmen Certification
Standards requires that the candidate
explain the purpose of the chandelle, but
the FAA references don't provide one. My
personal take is that it's a complicated
maneuver with changing pitch, bank, and
power. The pilot exerts authoritative control over the aircraft but does so smoothly
so that a passenger feels comfortable.
It's an outside-reference maneuver with
the pilot continually scanning for traffic.
Mastering the chandelle provides good
evidence that a candidate deserves the
commercial pilot certification.
AOPA
CATHERINE CAVAGNARO is an aerobatics

instructor (aceaerobaticschool.com) and
professor of mathematics at Sewanee: The
University of the South.

http://www.aopa.org/pps http://www.aceaerobaticschool.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2020

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