Definition
A turn flown at a high bank angle, generally considered to be 45 degrees or more, which produces a tighter turn radius, a higher load factor, and an increased stall speed compared to shallower turns.
Plain English
A turn where the airplane is tilted sharply onto its side, more than in a normal turn. The sharper the tilt, the tighter the turn and the harder the airplane has to work to keep flying.
Context Anchor
Seen in ground reference maneuvers such as the rectangular course, where the pilot changes the amount of bank to account for wind and speed over the ground.
Derivation
Steep comes from an old word meaning sharply rising or sharply sloped. Bank, in flying, means the sideways tilt of the airplane. Together, steep bank points to a sharper tilt of the wings during a turn.
Why Pilots Care
Steep banks tighten the turn radius but raise load factor, requiring coordinated controls and extra back pressure to hold altitude without stalling.
Intuition Check
Steep bank does not mean the airplane is climbing steeply or diving. It means the wings are tilted more from level during a turn.
Example Sentence 1
While flying the rectangular course in a strong wind, the pilot avoided letting the turn from downwind to base develop into a steep bank close to the ground.
Example Sentence 2
During steep turn practice the student held a constant 45-degree bank while adding back pressure to maintain altitude.