To increase the rate of turn and at the same time decrease the radius, a pilot should do which of the following?

To increase the rate of turn and at the same time decrease the radius, a pilot should do which of the following?

• A. Increase bank and decrease airspeed
• B. Decrease bank and decrease airspeed
• C. Increase bank and increase airspeed
• D. Decrease bank and increase airspeed

Answer: (A)

To increase the rate of turn while also reducing the radius, you want to influence both the bank angle and the airspeed. In a coordinated level turn, the radius of the turn is R = V^2 / (g tan φ) and the rate of turn is ω = g tan φ / V. Elevating the bank angle raises tan φ, which increases the turn rate and reduces the radius. Lowering airspeed also increases the turn rate (since ω grows as 1/V) and further reduces the radius because R depends on V^2. So, increasing bank and decreasing airspeed makes the turn tighter and faster at the same time. Decreasing bank or increasing airspeed would do the opposite, widening the turn or slowing it down.

To increase the rate of turn while also reducing the radius, you want to influence both the bank angle and the airspeed. In a coordinated level turn, the radius of the turn is R = V^2 / (g tan φ) and the rate of turn is ω = g tan φ / V. Elevating the bank angle raises tan φ, which increases the turn rate and reduces the radius. Lowering airspeed also increases the turn rate (since ω grows as 1/V) and further reduces the radius because R depends on V^2.

So, increasing bank and decreasing airspeed makes the turn tighter and faster at the same time. Decreasing bank or increasing airspeed would do the opposite, widening the turn or slowing it down.