Academia de Vuelo Virtual - AVV

BOX CANYON TURN
The Art of Mountain Flying
Emergency 180° Performance Radius Turn
LAST-DITCH ESCAPE MANOEUVRE



Assuming again that the basic premises have been violated and the airplane must be turned around because of increasing terrain or the narrowing of a canyon, when operating at or near the cruise airspeed the radius of turn may be too great for the box canyon turn. Proper procedure would be to increase the pitch attitude above the horizon, maybe in the range of 5 to 20 degrees above the horizon, depending on airspeed. This does two things. It trades airspeed for altitude and it slows the airspeed for a smaller radius of turn. At the same time, full power is added, the aircraft is banked and flaps are used as required (providing the airspeed has reduced to the flap operating range). When the airspeed slows to the desired speed, relax the back pressure and level the pitch attitude.



It is easy to become disorientated when making a steep turn in a canyon. Try to limit the bank to 30 degrees, if possible. If you find yourself in more serious trouble than a 30-degree bank will cure, increase the bank angle using both instrument and outside visual reference for pitch attitude.



I hesitate to use more than half the flaps during a box canyon turn for two reasons. First, full flaps denigrate the performance of the airplane and it will lose altitude. Second, the difference in stall speed at a 45-degree angle bank with full flaps and half flaps is something like two knots. The advantage of using full flaps isn't there. Check your owner's manual or POH for the exact speed to satisfy yourself.

SLOW FLIGHT – BOX CANYON TURN

Making a box canyon turn at slow airspeed is usually a critical flight situation because the airspeed will probably be slower than Vy or Vx due to the "short-arm" effect. While applying full power and half flaps, establish the bank at 30 degrees, unless a greater bank is required for a smaller radius of turn. Pay attention to the pitch attitude and airspeed. If there is any sign of a stall, either a warning horn or light or buffeting, relax the back pressure to prevent an unintentional stall.

The box canyon turn is an emergency procedure. The best advice is to avoid a situation that might require a box canyon turn course reversal.

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