What is a Chandelle Maneuver?

What is a Chandelle? It was the first aerial combat maneuver pilots have performed for more than one hundred years. French pilots developed and implemented the Chandelle maneuver in World War 1. They have used these maneuvers as offensive and defensive aerial combat strategies for dropping the bombs on the enemy ground troops while avoiding the return fire from them.

Today, military pilots perform this maneuver to double back on an enemy aircraft instantly. In this blog, we will learn about the Chandelle maneuver and how to master this fantastic and less complex aerial maneuver. 

What is Chandelle Maneuver? 

A Chandelle is a maximum-performance 180° climbing turn. It starts from straight and level flight and ends with the aircraft at a wings-level nose-high altitude at a minimum controllable stall speed. The FAA defines this standard in the Airplane Flying Handbook. Chandelle maneuver gained its name from the French word for “candle.” The complete French form of the original maneuver was “monter en chandelle,” which means to climb vertically. 

Why is Chandelle Maneuver used? 

Many aviators nowadays are not out on the battlefield to dodge enemy fire. However, the Chandelle maneuver is still relevant in the civil aviation industry. It is part of the FAA’s airman certification standards for commercial pilots. Maintaining the aircraft just above the stall speed during the turn requires pilots to know their airplane's performance capabilities and demonstrate their precision handling skills. Other pilots can also benefit from learning the Chandelle maneuver.

How to Perform Chandelle Maneuver?

You must know the high-level inputs to perform the Chandelle maneuver. Before attempting Chandelle in real life, review your aircraft manual and determine the proper airframe-specific speeds, inputs, and angles for this maneuver. Here are the essential steps for flying a Chandelle:

1. First, select the area where you want to perform this maneuver; the area should have plenty of obstruction-free airspace. Make emergency landing locations available with the airspace you want to use. 

2. Then, you must start the maneuver at an altitude of at least 1,500 feet AGL. Adjust the cruise power and go slower, no faster than your aircraft's recommended maneuvering speed. Make clearing turns to empty the airspace above and behind you. 

3. Choose both the 90-degree and 180-degree visual reference points in the distance. You can use the ailerons to enter a banked turn at a right angle for your airplane. Bank 30°, then apply full power and smoothly use the back-elevator pressure to increase the pitch attitude at a constant rate.

4. You must coordinate your control inputs to achieve the highest pitch attitude as you reach the 90-degree turn. Then, increase the back pressure as much as necessary to maintain pitch in the next half of the turn. While maintaining maximum pitch attitude, begin to slowly lessen the bank of your turn.

5. When approaching the reciprocal heading, you must ease out of the turn. Also, be cautious of the minimum controllable airspeed. As you move to exit the turn, keep your aircraft's airspeed just above the aerodynamic stall speed. 

6. Hold your pitch angle briefly to stabilize your airplane's speed. Then, bring the nose down to return to straight and level flight at cruising speed.
   

Factors to Know When Performing Chandelle Maneuver

When trying to visualize a chandelier, it's good to divide it into two specific parts. The first half starts from 0 to 90°, and the second is from 90° to 180° of turn. Each half of the maneuver needs different coordinated control inputs to achieve a smooth, controlled turn at minimum airspeed with maximum altitude gain. 

In the first part of the maneuver, your airplane is flying at a sustained 30° bank angle with continuously increasing pitch. The pitch will be sustained in the second part of the maneuver while the bank angle constantly decreases. Your plane's airspeed will constantly decrease throughout the maneuver, which means you will experience increased engine torque effects. 

Always be cautious of the rudder pressure; you will need more right rudder to control yaw and maintain turn rate in the second part of the turn as you approach stall speed. Know that all things are equal; a right chandelle requires less right rudder pressure than a left chandelle. The decreasing airspeed in banking will, in turn, lead to overbanking if it’s not offset. 

To maintain your bank angle, you must increase the opposite aileron. Be attentive to the back pressure on your yoke. Adjust the pressure in the second half of the turn to maintain the pitch angle while decreasing the bank angle. 

Final Words

Chandelles are a maneuver that require a lot of practice and  finesse to perform within commercial pilot checkride standards. A commercial pilot can complete their chandelle maneuver on a heading of +/- 10 degrees from the reciprocal of the original heading. The exit speed should be within +5 to -0 knots of the airplane stall speed. 

One of the best strategies for mastering the chandelles is to practice them on a flight simulator; this will help you build muscle memory. You must also practice climbing turns, returning to a straight and level flight, and being aware of the engine power you have applied.