How to fly the maneuver

A turn to a heading by reference to instruments combines the scan-pattern doctrine (VIII.A) with a third dimension — horizontal motion. The pilot rolls into a standard rate turn at a controlled bank, holds altitude through the turn against the increased load factor, and rolls out at an anticipated heading so the airplane is wings-level on the target. The new primary instrument is the turn coordinator for bank rate.

The rollout is anticipated, not reactive. A standard rate turn at 17° bank takes about 5 seconds to roll out. If you wait until the HI shows the target heading, you'll overshoot by half the bank angle's worth of heading change. Lead the rollout by half the bank angle — at 17° bank, lead by ~8°.

Setup

1. Begin from a stable straight-and-level (VIII.A baseline) at cruise.
2. Note the current heading and target heading — calculate the turn direction (left or right, shorter way around) and the heading change.
3. Calculate bank angle for standard rate: TAS (kt) ÷ 10 + 7. At 100 kt TAS, bank ≈ 17°. At 90 kt TAS, bank ≈ 16°.

Roll into the turn

1. Coordinated roll-in — aileron + rudder together, no skidding or slipping.
2. Stabilize at the calculated bank angle on the AI.
3. Verify the standard rate on the turn coordinator (the miniature airplane wing tip aligned with the standard rate index).
4. Apply back pressure to maintain altitude — load factor in the turn (V_S × √n) requires more lift, which requires more AoA, which requires elevator back pressure.
5. Trim as the bank stabilizes — light trim adjustment to release the back-pressure hold.

Scan during the turn

The primary-supporting matrix shifts again:

For…	Primary	Supporting
Pitch	Altimeter	AI, VSI
Bank	Turn coordinator	AI (bank angle)
Power	ASI	RPM/MP
Heading	HI	(only during rollout)

In the turn, altitude is primary for pitch (the airplane is maintaining altitude through load factor management); turn coordinator is primary for bank rate. The HI is referenced for rollout timing, not primary during the turn.

Scan cycle: AI → altimeter → AI → turn coordinator → AI → ASI → AI → HI (timing) → AI.

Hold the turn

In a stable, trimmed, standard-rate turn:

• Altimeter steady at entry altitude.
• Turn coordinator showing standard rate.
• ASI at cruise (some airspeed bleed is normal due to drag at the load factor).
• HI rotating at the standard rate (3° per second).

If altitude drifts:

• Sinking → more back pressure.
• Climbing → less back pressure.

If the turn rate drifts off standard:

• Faster than standard → reduce bank slightly.
• Slower than standard → increase bank slightly.

Anticipate the rollout

The rollout takes time. At the standard 3°/sec rate of turn, with a roll-out that takes ~5 seconds, the airplane continues to turn ~7.5° (half the bank angle approximately) during the rollout itself.

Anticipation: lead the rollout by half the bank angle. For a 17° bank, begin the rollout when the HI shows ~8° before the target heading.

For a left turn to 270° starting from 360°:

• Target heading: 270°.
• Lead: 8°.
• Begin rollout when HI shows 278°.

Roll out coordinated

1. Coordinated rollout — aileron and rudder together, opposite the turn.
2. As bank decreases, release back pressure progressively. Load factor returns to 1g.
3. Roll to wings level on the target heading.
4. Verify on the HI — within ±10° of target (VIII.D.S2).

After rollout:

• Re-establish the straight-and-level scan (VIII.A pattern returns: altimeter primary for pitch, HI primary for bank).
• Trim if the cruise condition needs adjustment.

Common pitfall: altitude loss in the turn. Forgetting the back-pressure increase as bank rolls in lets the airplane sink. The fix is anticipating the load factor — at 17° bank, n ≈ 1.05 (5% more lift required, 5% more back pressure). Anticipate during the roll-in; don't react after the altimeter has moved.