Definition
A flight path that follows a continuous curve while simultaneously descending or climbing, so the aircraft traces a corkscrew-shaped track through the air. In aerodynamics, it also refers to a specific descending maneuver in which the aircraft turns steeply around a vertical axis while losing altitude, with the wings still producing lift (distinguishing it from a spin, in which one wing is stalled).
Plain English
A path that curves around and around while going down (or up) at the same time, like the shape of a coiled spring.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter this term in maneuver training, discussions of spiral descents, and warnings about steep descending turns.
Derivation
From the Latin 'spira,' meaning a coil or twist. The same root gives us words like 'spire' on a church. It helps because it captures the key idea: a curve that wraps around a center while moving along its length.
Why Pilots Care
An unrecognized spiral quickly builds excessive speed and G-loads that can exceed aircraft limits or result in ground impact.
Analogy
A spiral flight path is like moving on a spiral staircase: you are turning around while also going up or down.
Intuition Check
Do not assume a spiral means the same thing as a spin. In a spiral, the airplane is still flying in a turning path; in a spin, the wing is not producing smooth lift because the angle is too high.
Example Sentence 1
After breaking out below the clouds, the pilot flew a descending spiral over the airport to lose altitude before joining the pattern.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor demonstrated how to recover from a spiral by first leveling the wings and then reducing power.