During ground reference maneuvers, how should a higher ground speed be compensated to maintain ground track?

In ground reference maneuvers, when the aircraft is flying at a higher ground speed, the bank angle needs to be increased to maintain a consistent ground track. This increase in bank angle helps to counteract the faster relative movement over the ground.

As the ground speed increases, the aircraft must exert more horizontal lift to stay aligned with the reference point on the ground. A higher bank angle increases the turn radius, allowing the aircraft to remain on track relative to the ground while it adjusts to the quicker pace of movement over the ground. This is essential for ensuring that the aircraft stays coordinated and maintains the intended flight path, especially during turns.

The other options do not effectively address the issue of increased ground speed in this context. Simply increasing altitude might provide more time to react but does not directly manage ground track. Lowering airspeed would not compensate for the higher ground speed; instead, it could lead to a loss of altitude if not properly managed. A shortened flight path does not inherently stabilize the aircraft's trajectory and could result in overshooting or understeering based on the current speed. Thus, the correct approach is to increase the bank angle to appropriately adjust for the higher ground speed.