If a standard-rate turn is maintained, how many degrees per second are added to the heading?

• A. 1 degree per second.
• B. 2 degrees per second.
• C. 6 degrees per second.
• D. 3 degrees per second.

Answer: (D)

Standard-rate turns change the aircraft’s heading at a fixed rate of 3 degrees per second. This rate is set so that a complete 360° turn takes 2 minutes, or 120 seconds, to execute. So, the heading increases by 3 degrees every second while maintaining a standard-rate turn. The alternative rates would produce different completion times for a full circle: 1 degree per second would take 360 seconds (6 minutes), 2 degrees per second would take 180 seconds (3 minutes), and 6 degrees per second would complete a 360° turn in 60 seconds. Therefore, 3 degrees per second is the standard-rate value.