Definition
A turn flown at a bank angle of approximately 45 degrees or more while maintaining a constant altitude. Because the steep bank reduces the vertical component of lift, the pilot must increase angle of attack (back pressure) and add power to hold altitude, while accepting a higher load factor and stall speed than in a shallower turn.
Plain English
A turn made with the wings tipped over sharply, usually 45 degrees or more, while keeping the airplane at the same height. Because so much of the wing's lift is now pulling sideways instead of up, the pilot has to pull back a bit and add power to stop the airplane from descending.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of energy management, stall awareness, and situations where a pilot tries to turn sharply without losing altitude.
Why Pilots Care
Precise execution prevents altitude loss, airspeed decay, or entry into a spiral dive, directly supporting safe maneuvering and stall avoidance.
Grounding Statement
In a steep level turn, some of the wing’s lift is used to turn the airplane sideways, so the wing must make extra lift to keep the airplane from descending.
Intuition Check
Do not read “level” as meaning easy or low-risk; here it means the airplane is holding altitude. Do not read “steep” as the nose pointing sharply up or down; here it mainly refers to a large bank angle.
Example Sentence 1
The examiner asked for a steep level turn to the left, so the pilot rolled into 45 degrees of bank, added power, and held altitude with steady back pressure.
Example Sentence 2
Practicing steep level turns builds the coordination needed to avoid unintended deceleration during turns.