In flight mechanics, the rate of turn (ROT) is the angular velocity at which an aircraft changes its heading while maintaining a constant altitude and airspeed. It quantifies how quickly the aircraft can execute a turn maneuver. The rate of turn is a crucial parameter in flight dynamics as it directly affects the aircraft’s maneuverability, airspace navigation, and overall flight performance. The rate of turn can be defined in terms of the bank angle () using the following formula:
Where:
- is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s2 or 32.2 ft/s2),
- is the bank angle (in radians), and
- is the true airspeed of the aircraft (in meters per second or feet per second).