Definition
The speed at which an aircraft changes heading during a turn, expressed in degrees per second. A standard rate turn is 3 degrees per second, which completes a 360-degree turn in 2 minutes.
Plain English
How quickly the aircraft is swinging its nose around to a new direction, measured in degrees per second.
Context Anchor
Used when practicing turns, flying by instruments, or judging how soon the airplane will reach a new heading.
Why Pilots Care
A standard turn rate of three degrees per second allows precise timing of turns and holds when outside visual references are unavailable.
Grounding Statement
If the airplane’s nose moves around the horizon quickly, the turn rate is high; if it moves slowly, the turn rate is low.
Intuition Check
Turn rate does not mean how steeply the airplane is banked or how tight the turn is by itself. It means how fast the aircraft’s direction changes over time.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor asked the student to establish a standard rate turn to the left, watching for 3 degrees per second on the turn coordinator.
Example Sentence 2
Maintaining a constant turn rate helped keep the holding pattern entry precise.