Definition
The flight instruments that show the airplane's bank angle — the angle at which the wings are tilted from level. In a typical instrument panel, the bank instruments are the attitude indicator, the heading indicator, the magnetic compass, and the turn coordinator (or turn-and-slip indicator).
Plain English
The instruments a pilot looks at to see whether the wings are level or tilted, and by how much.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying when learning how to control the airplane by reference to cockpit instruments instead of the outside horizon.
Derivation
Bank' comes from the old Norse word for a raised edge or slope. In flying, it describes the airplane tilting one wing down like a sloped road surface in a turn. The bank instruments are simply the ones that show this tilt.
Why Pilots Care
They allow precise roll control and coordinated turns without outside visual references, directly affecting safety and flight path accuracy.
Grounding Statement
When you cannot clearly see the horizon, the bank instruments are what tell you whether the airplane is level or leaning into a turn.
Intuition Check
“Bank” does not mean a financial bank here. It means the airplane’s wings are tilted left or right.
Example Sentence 1
During the instrument scan, the pilot checked the bank instruments to confirm the wings were level before adjusting heading.
Example Sentence 2
During the standard-rate turn, the bank instruments helped maintain the correct angle without slipping or skidding.