In a standard-rate turn, what is the heading change rate?

• A. 3 degrees per second
• B. 2 degrees per second
• C. 1 degree per second
• D. 5 degrees per second

Answer: (A)

Heading change rate is how fast your aircraft’s heading changes, measured in degrees per second. In a standard-rate turn, you’re aiming for rate one: a full 360-degree turn in two minutes. That works out to about 3 degrees of heading change each second. So, the heading will change by roughly 60 degrees in 20 seconds, and a full circle in about 2 minutes. The bank angle is adjusted with airspeed to hold that 3° per second rate. Therefore, three degrees per second is the correct rate. If you used 2°/s or 1°/s, it would take longer for a full circle; 5°/s would complete a circle faster than standard rate.