Robert Moore wrote in message .7...
(Rich Stowell) wrote

FAR 91.303, Aerobatic Flight, states in pertinent part:

"For the purposes of this section, aerobatic flight means an
intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in an aircraft's
attitude, an abnormal attitude, or an abnormal acceleration, not
neccessary for normal flight."

I wonder where a 45 degree steep turn fall in this context?


It depends who's watching, sort of like "careless or reckless
operation." For example, a couple has lived under the crosswind
approach to a small airport for the last 70 years (and not without
animosity towards the airport for that long). During that time, the
couple has never witnessed an airplane do anything other than smooth,
shallow banked turns to enter the pattern. One day, in comes a pilot
fast and low who crisply cranks the airplane into a 45 (heck, why not
even 60) degree bank. One could argue that given the precedent set
over the previous 70 years, that type of maneuver was "not necessary
for normal flight" over the couple's house at that airport. I'm sure
the couple could find some lawyer somewhere to make that case. The
definition of aerobatic flight is abstract enough that it could be
used against a pilot if someone is looking for a reason--any
reason--to bust the pilot. Of course, lots of other FARs can be
interpreted against the pilot as well.


In the context of the Cessna 172, it could be argued (especially
by an ornery FAA-type) that the "float the pencil" maneuver
results in both "an abnormal attitude" and an "abnormal
acceleration," and is "not necessary for normal flight."

Attitudes in the roller-coaster maneuver need not exceed the pitch
angles encountered in short-field takeoffs and landings.


True for some more skilled in performing the maneuver than others.
That still doesn't get around the "abnormal accleration" or "not
necessary for normal flight" caveats. The point really was to
encourage the original poster not to experiment with unfamiliar
maneuvers on his own, but to take 0.5 hours of dual for safety's sake.

Rich
http://www.richstowell.com