Microsoft Flight Simulator Handbook

by Jonathan M. Stern

Loop

A loop is a vertical circle flown entirely with wings level. It is not dissimilar in look or in feel to an amusement park roller coaster with a loop. Airspeed is key because the loop is not completed if the airplane runs out of momentum before clearing the top of the loop (see Figure 8.4).

Figure 8.4. Nearing the vertical climb in a loop.

This is the only aerobatic maneuver where auto-coordination may be used.

Follow these procedures to enter the loop:

1. Turn on Auto Coordination from the Sim menu.
2. Climb to 6,000 feet AGL or use the World/Set Exact Location menu to place the airplane at 6,000 feet.
3. Establish cruise flight (flaps and gear retracted).
4. Dive to accelerate the airplane to 180 knots.
5. Smoothly apply up elevator until the elevator is 75 percent of the way up.
6. Apply full throttle when you see nothing but sky in the windscreen.
7. Use left or right view to maintain orientation until you are at the top of the loop; then return to forward view.
8. At the completion of 3/4 of the loop, reduce throttle to idle.

Follow these procedures to recover from the loop:

1. At the bottom of the loop, apply cruise throttle.
2. Pitch for level flight.

Lesson: Aerobatic Category (Lesson 2)

Table of Contents
Previous Section: Spin
Next Section: Aileron Roll