Turn — Flight States

The aircraft changes heading by banking. Rolling tilts the lift vector — the horizontal component of that tilted lift curves the flight path.

How a turn works

Lift always acts perpendicular to the wing surface. In level flight, lift points straight up and opposes weight. When the aircraft banks, the lift vector tilts with it — now only a portion of lift acts vertically (opposing weight), and the remainder acts horizontally (providing the centripetal force to curve the path).

To maintain altitude in a turn, the pilot applies back pressure to increase the total lift, compensating for the reduced vertical component. This is why turns require more power to maintain both altitude and airspeed.

Load factor and bank angle

Bank angle	Load factor (G)
0°	1 G (normal)
30°	1.15 G
45°	1.41 G
60°	2.0 G
75°	3.9 G

Stall speed increases in a turn: Because load factor increases with bank angle, the wing must produce more lift — which requires a higher angle of attack for any given airspeed. At 60° bank, stall speed is 41% higher than in level flight. This is why steep turns close to the ground are particularly dangerous.

Coordinated vs uncoordinated

A coordinated turn uses just enough rudder to keep the ball centered in the inclinometer (the "ball and slip" indicator). An uncoordinated turn either skids (too much rudder) or slips (not enough). Coordination matters most at low speed and steep bank, where an uncoordinated turn can lead to a stall or spin.

Related terms

Roll — the axis that establishes bank angle
Yaw — needed for coordination
Lift — tilted inward to provide centripetal force
Stall — the risk when turning steeply at low speed

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