JP 3-50 National Search and Rescue Manual Vol I - US Navy

Figure 6-2. The Crossleg
Table 6-1. Aircraft Turning Diameter
Speed (kts) Turn Diameter (nm)
110 1.2
120 1.3
130 1.4
140 1.5
150 1.6
160 1.7
170 1.8
180 1.9
3. The crossleg wind component is that component parallel to the
straightaway of the crossleg. In Table 6-2, two numbers are
shown for each value of the wind component and track spacing.
The number to the left of the slant line is the time required
to fly the straightaway with a tailwind component; the number
to the right is that required with a headwind component. (An
aeronautical navigation computer quickly solves aircraft time
and headings on searchlegs and crosslegs, and is recommended
for aircraft navigation computations.)
TABLE 6-2. Time to Complete Crossleg at TAS of 150 Knots
4. When searching for small targets, or during periods of poor
visibility, track spacing will often be reduced to less than
the turn diameter of the search aircraft. An aircraft
commander is expected to accomplish the pattern at the
specified track spacing without further instructions from the
SMC or OSC. One technique is to stagger the searchlegs that
are consecutively searched, enabling the aircraft to turn from