During a 30° banked turn, what effect does a reduction in airspeed have on the rate and radius of turn?

In a banked turn, the relationship between airspeed, rate of turn, and radius of turn is explained by the principles of circular motion. When an aircraft is in a banked turn, the lift vector is tilted, which allows the aircraft to turn. As the airspeed decreases, the centripetal force available for maintaining the turn is also reduced because it relies on maintaining a certain speed to generate sufficient lift and provide the necessary bank angle for the turn.

When airspeed decreases during a banked turn, the rate of turn naturally decreases because the aircraft cannot maintain the same angular velocity. The radius of turn increases because the aircraft must fly a larger circle to maintain the same bank angle due to the loss of speed. A lower speed means that the aircraft exceeds the required bank angle for the desired turn rate, resulting in a larger turn radius to balance the reduction in centripetal force that arises from the decrease in speed.

Consequently, a reduction in airspeed leads to a decrease in the rate of turn and an increase in the radius of turn, which supports the understanding that as speed decreases, aircraft dynamics require adjustments to maintain stable turns within a banked configuration.