In rec.aviation.student Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
45 degrees isn't enough unless you have a very nice gliding airplane or
are starting from a good height to begin with.

A 45 degree bank will give you the minimum turn radius and thus minimum
altitude lost for any heading change done with a steady state turn. Are
you suggesting that there are more... interesting techniques which can be
used to turn around, or just that sometimes you are doomed?

--
Michael Ash
Rogue Amoeba Software