At 04:56 AM 11/8/2005, you wrote: >It's something similar to a lazy eight if you do two of them, left and right >:-) >It's actually a turn of 180, in which you exit with same speed and altitude. >I'll try to get a translation and post it. >C. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don't know that I've ever heard a name for that turn-around. If you go in to the turn with a steeper climb it would be similar to a hammerhead. I've always heard the term "duster turn" or "cotton patch turn" for a similar maneuver that uses less bank angle. Ag operators use it for a quick turnarounds. If possible, they will try to make their turn into the wind to make the diameter of the turn smaller. They start with a 45 degree turn off the spray run (down wind side if possible) , Pull to a steep angle , and begin their turn at maybe 45 to 60 degrees bank. As the airplane gets slow at the top ( near the 90 degree point in the turn) you unload the wing with a bit of forward stick and let the nose fall through to complete the turnaround. You pick up speed coming down and are right back on line for the next spray run. A former duster pilot I rode with on pipeline patrol showed me the maneuver and we used it on every turnaround on the pipeline. It's a very fast way to change direction and little chance of a low altitude stall/spin at the top of the turn if you unload the wing. If we have any duster pilots on the net they can correct me if I have any part of the maneuver wrong. Larry Flesner
