What is a spiral dive in gliding, and how is it prevented or recovered during training?

What is a spiral dive in gliding, and how is it prevented or recovered during training?

• A. A shallow turn that increases bank but does not lose altitude.
• B. A straight descent with no turn.
• C. A high-risk, rapidly tightening turn with increasing bank leading to rapid loss of altitude; prevent by limiting bank angle and altitude, and recover with coordinated roll and opposite rudder.
• D. A controlled spin with neutral bank.

Answer: (C)

A spiral dive is a dangerous, energy-rich descent where the bank increases rapidly, the turn tightens, and the glider loses altitude quickly while airspeed climbs. This combination makes control hard and can lead to a very steep, unrecoverable dive if you’re too low. During training, the emphasis is on prevention: keep bank angles within safe limits and ensure you have enough altitude to recover, avoiding entering steep, accelerating turns from which recovery would be difficult. If a spiral dive occurs, recover by rolling toward level flight while applying opposite rudder to stop the turn and reduce the bank, then neutralize the rudder and smoothly climb out of the dive. This coordinated roll and opposite rudder sequence stops the spiral and restores a safe energy state.

A spiral dive is a dangerous, energy-rich descent where the bank increases rapidly, the turn tightens, and the glider loses altitude quickly while airspeed climbs. This combination makes control hard and can lead to a very steep, unrecoverable dive if you’re too low.

During training, the emphasis is on prevention: keep bank angles within safe limits and ensure you have enough altitude to recover, avoiding entering steep, accelerating turns from which recovery would be difficult.

If a spiral dive occurs, recover by rolling toward level flight while applying opposite rudder to stop the turn and reduce the bank, then neutralize the rudder and smoothly climb out of the dive. This coordinated roll and opposite rudder sequence stops the spiral and restores a safe energy state.