Definition
A turn flown with a bank angle of approximately 20 degrees or less, producing a gradual change of heading at a low rate of turn.
Plain English
A gentle turn where the wings are tilted only slightly from level, so the airplane changes direction slowly.
Context Anchor
Seen in airport traffic pattern discussions, especially when turning between pattern legs such as downwind, base, and final.
Derivation
Shallow comes from Old English, meaning 'not deep.' Applied to a turn, it describes a small tilt of the wings — the bank is not deep into the turn.
Why Pilots Care
Keeps the airplane stable, allows easy altitude and airspeed control, and supports good lookout during pattern work.
Intuition Check
“Shallow” does not mean low altitude here, and “bank” does not mean money. A shallow-bank turn means the wings are tilted only a small amount during the turn.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor demonstrated a shallow-bank turn from downwind to base to keep the airplane well clear of a stall margin near the ground.
Example Sentence 2
Shallow-bank turns help maintain a steady altitude while scanning for traffic in the pattern.