Standard rate turn

Usage

Standardized turn rates are often employed in approaches and holding patterns to provide a reference for controllers and pilots so that each will know what the other is expecting. The pilot banks the airplane such that the turn and slip indicator points to the mark appropriate for that aircraft and then uses a clock to time the turn. The pilot can roll out at any desired direction depending on the length of time in the turn.

During a constant-bank level turn, increasing airspeed decreases the rate of turn, and increases the turn radius. A rate half turn (1.5° per second) is normally used when flying faster than 250 kn. The term rate two turn (6° per second) used on some low speed aircraft.

Instrumentation

Instruments, either the turn and slip indicator or the turn coordinator, have the standard rate or half standard rate turn clearly marked. Slower aircraft are equipped with 2-minute turn indicators while faster aircraft are often equipped with 4-minute turn indicators.

Angle of bank formula

The formula for calculating the angle of bank for a specific true airspeed (TAS) in meters per second is:

Bank = tan − 1 ⁡ ( TAS 2 / r g )

where r is the radius of the turn in meters, and g is the acceleration due to gravity in m·s⁻².

For a rate one turn and velocity in knots (nautical miles per hour), this comes to

Bank = tan − 1 ⁡ ( TAS   (kn) 364 ) .

A convenient approximation for the bank angle in degrees is

Bank (degrees) ≈ TAS   (kn) 10 + 7

For aircraft holding purposes, ICAO mandates that all turns should be made, "at a bank angle of 25° or at a rate of 3° per second, whichever requires the lesser bank." By the above formula, a rate one turn at a TAS greater than 180 knots would require a bank angle of more than 25 degrees. Therefore, faster aircraft just use 25 degrees for their turns.

Radius of turn formula

One might also want to calculate the radius r of a Rate 1, 2 or 3 turn at a specific TAS.

r (NM) = TAS ( kn ) Rate of Turn ( ∘ /s ) × 20 π

If the velocity and the angle of bank is given,

r (ft) = velocity 2 11.29 tan ⁡ ( Bank )

This is a simplified formula that ignores slip and returns zero for 90 degrees of bank. The constant 11.29 is simply the gravitational acceleration expressed in kn²·ft⁻¹:

g ( in m/hour 2 ) ( 1852   m/NM ) × ( 6076.12  ft/NM ) = 9.8 × 3600 × 3600 1852 × 6076.12 = 11.29   kn 2 ⋅ ft − 1