Arrgh! My instructor won't teach me new skillz until I turn properly!
OK see this is my problem
When I turn, I will lose altitude, or climb, it just won't be level. My turns are usually steep, e.g. 45º and above. But all my mates can do it without losing altitude.

When doing a figure of 8, my plane goes further and further away from me. Seems that I bank too hard on the 2nd turn. I know this comes with experience, but anyone has tips for me?

Although my turning improved in the 2nd run, I just feel it needs to be better.
Can anyone correct me?

Try not turning so steeply. Things will happen slower; at 45 degrees it will drop like a stone unless you pull back on the elevator. That means you'll have to quickly yank it back up, and guess what, now it's climbing.
With a slower turn it will also be a lot easier to come out pointed in the right direction (that could be why you're having trouble with figure 8s)

I think your biggest problem though is you need practice. Eventually turning will get so easy you'll hardly have to think about it.

Turning is the most essential skill right after takeoff and landing. Assuming you have a full house setup, ailerons, rudder, elevators and throttle just be as you would be on your wedding night - gentle. Start your turn with the rudder and follow almost immediately with a slight input from the ailerons. The stall speed of any aircraft lessens dramatically in direct proportion th the angle of bank. When the nose starts to drop feed in a small amount of elevator, emphasis on small. Coordination is the key and nothing replaces practice. If you are a bowler you will understand that part immediately. Don't be in a big hurry unless you are as old as I am. There's a lot of open sky and time to enjoy it.

ball gunner is right about stall speed. I think the formula is some what

15 degrees = 10 % increase in stall speed
20 degrees = 15 %
30 degrees = 20 %
45 degrees = almost 40 %

so what that means if your airplane stalls @ 30 mph straight and level

Than @ 15 degrees you will stall @ 33 mph
20 degrees=35mph
30 degrees=36 mph
and 45 degrees= 42 mph

SO the moral of the story here is dont slow down to much in a turn and dont increase your angle of attack to much in a turn. Stay coordinated, or learn how to become coordinated and you will do fine. Try and imagine your self trying to keep the airplane on the outside of a disc at a constant angle. When your first learning slow and shallow is the best. AS you get better you can do steep and fast. remember you may also have to correct for wind and that can be done by increasing bank angle and decreasing bank angle. There are 5 basic adverse effects of a turn

1) adverse yaw.
2) tendency to dive in a turn
3) yaw away from the direction of the turn
4) increase in stall speed
5) and finally overbanking as the turn continues (bank will get steeper and steeper until you hit the death spiral)

So with all that remember were all having fun, and We must walk before we run...

carry on grasshopper

JB
NO SINK
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