Chandelle
A chandelle is a maximum-performance 180° climbing turn that ends at the slowest controllable airspeed with wings level. It demonstrates planning, smooth coordination through changing airspeed and load, and precise control as you trade airspeed for altitude.
Step by step
- 1Clear the area and pick a 90°/180° reference (a section line works well). Establish the entry airspeed (often near maneuvering speed) at level flight.
- 2Roll smoothly into approximately 30° of bank as you begin the turn.
- 3During the first 90°, hold the 30° bank constant and steadily increase pitch to a maximum (the climb).
- 4At the 90° point you should have the steepest pitch and still 30° of bank, at a continuously decreasing airspeed.
- 5During the second 90°, hold the pitch constant and slowly roll out so the wings become level exactly at the 180° point.
- 6Arrive at the 180° point wings level, at minimum controllable airspeed just above a stall, in coordinated flight.
- 7Recover by lowering the nose to resume a normal climb or cruise.
Tips & common errors
- First 90°: constant bank, increasing pitch. Second 90°: constant pitch, decreasing bank. That is the rhythm of the maneuver.
- Right and left chandelles feel different because of P-factor/torque at low speed — anticipate more right rudder turning left.
- Common error: rolling out early/late so the wings are not level at exactly 180°, or finishing too fast (not slow enough).
- Use coordinated rudder throughout; the slow speed at the top makes the airplane sensitive.
ACS completion standards
The commonly-tested tolerances for this maneuver. Always confirm the current ACS for your certificate.
- Establish the proper bank (~30°) and entry airspeed; perform a smooth, coordinated maximum-performance climbing turn.
- Complete the 180° of turn arriving wings level at the minimum controllable airspeed without stalling.
- Roll out within ±10° of the target heading.
FAA source
FAA-S-ACS-7 (Commercial Pilot ACS), Task: Chandelles; Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3, Chapter 10 (Maximum Performance Maneuvers).
This is an original, plain-English study summary grounded in the public-domain FAA Airman Certification Standards and FAA handbooks cited above. It is a study aid, not flight instruction, and not a substitute for the official ACS, the handbooks, your aircraft’s POH/AFM, or a certificated flight instructor.
Related maneuvers
- Power-Off 180° Accuracy Approach & LandingA Commercial maneuver: from a downwind position abeam the intended touchdown point at pattern altitude, you reduce the power to idle and fly a gliding approach — judging the wind and energy — to touch down within a tight tolerance of a specified point, with no power added.
- Lazy EightThe lazy eight is a graceful maneuver of two opposite 180° climbing-and-descending turns, with constantly changing bank, pitch, and airspeed. It looks like a wing-tip tracing a slow figure-eight on the horizon and demands continuous, smoothly varying control coordination — no two instants are the same.
- Steep SpiralA steep spiral is a constant-radius gliding turn of at least three 360° turns around a ground reference point, with power at idle. It teaches power-off glide control and wind-drift correction (like a steep spiral down to an emergency landing site) while maintaining a safe, constant airspeed.
- Rectangular CourseThe rectangular course teaches you to fly a constant, equal distance from a square or rectangular ground feature while correcting for wind. It directly simulates the airport traffic pattern, so it builds the division of attention and wind-drift correction you use on every approach.
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