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During turns around a point in a steady 20-knot north wind, the airplane requires the STEEPEST bank when its momentary heading is
Choices
north (directly into the wind).
North = upwind = SHALLOWEST bank, not steepest.
✓ south (directly downwind).correct
The steepest bank comes on a south heading — directly downwind in a north wind — where groundspeed is at maximum (TAS + 20 kts) and a steeper bank is needed to maintain constant radius. In turns around a point, bank angle must vary continuously to maintain a circular ground track in a wind. Bank is STEEPEST at the downwind point (here, momentary heading south = TAS + 20 kts groundspeed) and SHALLOWEST at the upwind point (heading north = TAS − 20 kts). At east/west crosswind positions, bank is medium (groundspeed = TAS).
east (pure crosswind from the left).
East = crosswind = medium bank.
the same bank applies in all four cardinal directions.
Constant bank in wind produces an elliptical ground track, not a circle.
Why
The steepest bank comes on a south heading — directly downwind in a north wind — where groundspeed is at maximum (TAS + 20 kts) and a steeper bank is needed to maintain constant radius. In turns around a point, bank angle must vary continuously to maintain a circular ground track in a wind. Bank is STEEPEST at the downwind point (here, momentary heading south = TAS + 20 kts groundspeed) and SHALLOWEST at the upwind point (heading north = TAS − 20 kts). At east/west crosswind positions, bank is medium (groundspeed = TAS).
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Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question. Reviewed by a panel of three CFIs + AI review.