The rate of turn in flight mechanics refers to the angular velocity at which an aircraft changes its heading while executing a turn. It is a crucial parameter that determines the aircraft’s turn performance and is measured in degrees per second or radians per second.
ROT = (V / R)
Where:
- ROT is the rate of turn (in degrees per second or radians per second).
- V is the true airspeed of the aircraft (in meters per second or feet per second).
- Φ is the bank angle of the aircraft (the angle between the aircraft’s longitudinal axis and the horizontal plane) in radians.
- R is the radius of the turn, which is the distance from the center of the turn to the aircraft’s position during the turn (in meters or feet).