The turn radius () in aviation refers to the horizontal distance from the center of a turn to the path followed by the aircraft during a coordinated turn. As the load factor increases, the turn radius decreases, and vice versa. This critical parameter, influenced by factors like airspeed and bank angle, is essential for understanding an aircraft’s turning performance. The turn radius can be calculated using the following formula:
where:
- is the turn radius in m,
- is the airspeed of the aircraft in m/s,
- is the gravitational acceleration (approximately 9.81 m/s²),
- is the load factor.