Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Practice Exam 2026 – The All-in-One Guide to Master Your IFR Certification!

The miniature aircraft on the turn coordinator provides an indirect indication of the bank attitude during flight. This instrument is designed to help pilots understand their aircraft's orientation in relation to the horizon and to assist in maintaining coordinated flight during turns.

When the aircraft banks to the right or left, the miniature aircraft will move accordingly, indicating the direction of the turn. While it shows the movement of the aircraft in the horizontal plane, it does not provide a direct readout of the actual bank angle. Instead, pilots interpret this movement to assess whether they're executing a turn correctly and to make any necessary adjustments to their flight path.

The turn coordinator can also indicate whether the turn is properly coordinated or if the aircraft is skidding or slipping, but its primary role is to show the direction of the turn rather than the precise quality or steepness of the bank itself. Hence, the correct choice highlights its purpose as an indirect indicator rather than a direct one.