As you roll into a standard rate turn to the right from a south heading in the Northern Hemisphere, what does the magnetic compass initially indicate?

When rolling into a standard rate turn to the right from a south heading in the Northern Hemisphere, the behavior of the magnetic compass is influenced by a phenomenon known as compass precession or the "turning error." As you initiate the right turn, the compass is initially affected by the inertial forces acting on it. Specifically, because of the Earth's magnetic field and the motion of the aircraft, the compass tends to lag behind in showing the new heading.

During a right turn, the compass initially indicates a turn to the right, but due to the mechanics of compass operation, it does so with a greater indication than the actual rate of turn. This is primarily caused by the compass card's tendency to swing towards the new heading more quickly than it should reflect based on the actual change in heading, resulting in a momentary faster indication of a turn than what is occurring in reality.

This tendency will resolve as the aircraft continues through the turn, and the compass will gradually align more accurately with the aircraft heading as the dynamic forces stabilize. Understanding this principle is crucial for effective navigation and instrumentation, especially when making real-time decisions during flight maneuvers.