Ground Reference Maneuvers
Turns around a point, S-turns and rectangular courses — and how they teach wind correction.
Ground reference maneuvers train you to fly a precise path over the ground while correcting for wind — the same skill you use every time you fly a traffic pattern or track a road. They're flown at a low, safe altitude (typically ~600–1,000 ft AGL).
The maneuvers
- Rectangular course — fly a rectangle around a field, mirroring the traffic pattern; crab into the wind on each leg and roll into/out of turns at varying bank to hold a constant distance.
- S-turns across a road — fly half-circles of equal size on each side of a straight line, steepening the bank when the wind is behind you and shallowing it into the wind.
- Turns around a point — fly a constant-radius circle around a fixed point, continuously varying bank: steepest with a tailwind, shallowest into the wind.
The lesson
Wind constantly tries to widen or tighten your ground track. You compensate with bank angle (in turns) and crab angle (on straight legs): steepest bank when groundspeed is highest (downwind), shallowest when lowest (upwind). Mastering this makes your traffic patterns consistent and your turns to final safe.
Common pitfalls
- Fixating on the bank instead of the ground track.
- Losing altitude or coordination while dividing attention outside.
---
*Reference and training only — not for navigation. Always consult the current AIM, FAR/AIM, your aircraft’s POH/AFM and a certificated flight instructor.*