ORIGINAL: MinnFlyer
Grey Beard hit on a term I would like to expand on a bit: Decending Turn
Newbies are taught to maintain altitude when turning, but the next time you fly, try this:
At a normal altitude, make your turn from the downwind leg with more aileron and less elevator so the plane loses altitude as it turns. Note that you are not going to land, you are just ''flying the box'' like you normally do, but rather than holding a constant altitude, you are decending on your turns toward the runway, and then regaining altitude throughout the rest of the pattern.
In the video below, the first turn from the left is a decending turn to set up for a low pass over the runway. Then you will see the plane climb out afterward. The second turn from the left maintains its altitude to set up for a maneuver.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzPYwW7oEOI[/youtube]
Ok all yee experts! l like MinnFlyer's suggesttion to turn with out elevator input. Not only will the plane descend, but will loose air speed as well. Which is another thing that should be mentioned for final approach, you may need to bleed of some air speed. I use a little back and forth rudder input to do this. What are suggestions for other ways to bleed of air speed? Also flairing, what is the proper way to flair (what is the pilot acutally doing with the sticks when flairing). I've heard instructors tell flyers to go ahead and flair, then later the student will ask them , "what did you mean " "flair"?