In a coordinated turn, the aircraft's nose follows the flight path without slipping or skidding. The turn coordinator shows whether that is happening. It displays rate of turn and lateral acceleration, helping pilots keep turns clean.

A small aircraft symbol in the instrument banks when the wings bank. A ball in a curved tube sits in the centre when the turn is coordinated. If the ball slides to one side, the pilot needs more or less rudder.

What the instrument shows

• Rate of turn in degrees per second
• Lateral acceleration via the slip indicator
• Coordination of aileron and rudder input
• Reference for standard rate turns

Standard rate turns, three degrees per second, let pilots complete a full circle in two minutes. That timing matters during instrument approaches, where turning at the wrong rate can put the aircraft off course.