Definition
The number of degrees of heading change per second that an aircraft is turning, expressed in degrees per second. A standard-rate turn is 3° per second, which completes a 360° turn in two minutes. Rate of turn depends on bank angle and true airspeed: at a given airspeed, a steeper bank produces a higher rate of turn; at a given bank angle, a higher airspeed produces a lower rate of turn.
Plain English
How fast the aircraft is swinging its nose around the turn, measured in degrees per second.
Context Anchor
Seen when studying turns, forces in turns, instrument flying, and any situation where a pilot needs to control how quickly the aircraft changes direction.
Why Pilots Care
Controls the timing of turns so pilots can meet published leg times and stay on course.
Grounding Statement
At the same amount of bank, a slower airplane turns through compass headings faster than a faster airplane.
Intuition Check
ROT does not mean bank angle by itself. Bank angle is how much the airplane is tilted; ROT is how fast the airplane’s direction is changing.
Example Sentence 1
He rolled into a standard-rate turn, giving him a rate of turn of 3° per second.
Example Sentence 2
The instrument showed a two-degree-per-second rate of turn during the base leg.