How much altitude is lost with a 45° angle of bank in a 360° turn while trimmed for 125 KIAS?

When an aircraft is turned with a specific bank angle, such as 45 degrees, the lift vector is tilted and the aircraft experiences a load factor that affects its altitude. In a 360-degree turn at a 45-degree bank angle, the aircraft must increase its angle of attack to maintain altitude, but in doing so, there is a tendency to lose altitude unless the pilot compensates by adding power or increasing the climb rate.

At 125 KIAS (Knots Indicated Airspeed), the typical altitude loss during a 360-degree turn at this bank angle is approximately 1,500 feet. This altitude loss occurs due to the increased stall speed associated with the load factor, which is approximately 1.414 (or a factor of about 1.4) at 45 degrees of bank. Consequently, if the aircraft is not managed correctly during the turn, it will descend as it turns, leading to the loss of altitude.

It's crucial for pilots to understand these dynamics during training and apply appropriate power and pitch adjustments to mitigate any unintended altitude loss, especially in training environments or maneuvers requiring precision, such as during contact training stages.