Definition
An aerobatic maneuver in which the aircraft flies a vertical circle in the pitch plane, beginning and ending at the same altitude and heading. The pilot pulls back to climb, continues over the top while inverted, then descends through the back side of the circle to recover at the entry altitude.
Plain English
A vertical circle flown in the air. The aircraft pitches up, goes over the top upside down, then comes back down and levels off where it started.
Context Anchor
Seen in aerobatic maneuver descriptions, flight training discussions, and aircraft operating limitations.
Derivation
From Middle English 'loup,' meaning a curve or bend that closes back on itself. The aviation use keeps that same idea: a path that curls around and returns to its starting point.
Why Pilots Care
Loops build precise control of pitch, airspeed, and loading that keeps aerobatic flight safe and predictable.
Analogy
Picture the path of a car going all the way around a vertical amusement-park loop. In a flight loop, the airplane’s path is a full circle in the vertical plane.
Intuition Check
A loop does not mean any turn, circle, or route on a chart. In this aviation use, it means a full vertical circle flown by the aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor demonstrated a loop, entering at 140 knots and recovering at the same altitude on the original heading.
Example Sentence 2
Over the top of the loop the pilot adjusted power to keep the nose tracking cleanly.