During a level turn, increasing bank angle without changing airspeed causes the rate of turn to increase.

During a level turn, increasing bank angle without changing airspeed causes the rate of turn to increase.

• A. Increases
• B. Decreases
• C. Remains the same
• D. Reverses

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that in a level coordinated turn, the rate at which you turn is tied to how much horizontal lift you have to provide the needed centripetal force. When you bank the aircraft, lift tilts from vertical toward the wings. Since lift still has to balance weight, the horizontal component of lift becomes mg tan(phi). This horizontal lift provides the centripetal acceleration v^2 / R, so v^2 / R = g tan(phi). For a fixed speed, increasing bank angle increases tan(phi), which shrinks the turn radius and increases the rate of turn (ω = v / R = g tan(phi) / v). In plain terms, a steeper bank makes the aircraft fly a tighter circle, so it yawes around its vertical axis faster. That’s why increasing the bank angle without changing airspeed causes the rate of turn to increase.

The main idea is that in a level coordinated turn, the rate at which you turn is tied to how much horizontal lift you have to provide the needed centripetal force. When you bank the aircraft, lift tilts from vertical toward the wings. Since lift still has to balance weight, the horizontal component of lift becomes mg tan(phi). This horizontal lift provides the centripetal acceleration v^2 / R, so v^2 / R = g tan(phi). For a fixed speed, increasing bank angle increases tan(phi), which shrinks the turn radius and increases the rate of turn (ω = v / R = g tan(phi) / v). In plain terms, a steeper bank makes the aircraft fly a tighter circle, so it yawes around its vertical axis faster.

That’s why increasing the bank angle without changing airspeed causes the rate of turn to increase.