Definition
A turn in which the airplane's rate of yaw is properly matched to the bank angle, so the resulting force on the airplane is directed straight down through the seat. The ailerons, rudder, and elevator are used together so there is no slip or skid -- the airplane's nose tracks smoothly around the turn while the lift vector tilts to pull the airplane through the curve.
Plain English
A turn flown so smoothly that you and the airplane lean into it together, with no sliding sideways. If you put a ball on the floor of the cockpit, it would stay centered.
Context Anchor
Seen during basic turn practice, level turns, traffic pattern turns, and any maneuver where the pilot must use aileron and rudder together.
Derivation
Coordinated' comes from Latin co- ('together') and ordinare ('to arrange in order'). The controls are arranged to work together rather than fighting each other.
Why Pilots Care
Prevents altitude loss, reduces drag, and maintains predictable control response during turns.
Grounding Statement
In a coordinated turn, you should feel pressed straight down into the seat, not slid sideways across it.
Intuition Check
A coordinated turn does not just mean a smooth-looking turn or a turn that holds altitude. It specifically means the airplane is turning without sideways slipping or skidding through the air.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor demonstrated a coordinated turn by adding rudder pressure in the same direction as the aileron input until the ball stayed centered.
Example Sentence 2
An uncoordinated turn caused the airplane to lose more altitude than expected on the downwind leg.