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In S-turns across a road, what should the ground track look like?

Choices

  • ✓ A series of equal half-circles on alternating sides of the roadcorrect

    S-turns produce opposite but equal semicircles on each side of the straight-line reference.

  • A single 360-degree circle around a point

    That describes turns around a point, not S-turns.

  • A four-sided box around a field

    That describes the rectangular course, not S-turns.

  • A straight line with no turns

    S-turns are a series of reversing turns, not straight flight.

Why

S-turns fly equal half-circles on alternating sides of a straight-line reference such as a road, reversing the turn each time the line is crossed while adjusting bank for groundspeed.

FAA source: Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3 Ch. 7 (Rectangular Course; S-Turns; Turns Around a Point; maneuvering altitude and limits)browse the reference library →

This is taught in Ground Reference Maneuvers: Flying a Track Over the Ground — study the lessons free, then practice with grading and mastery tracking.

Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question.

In S-turns across a road, what should the ground track look like? · PPL Free Ground School