During an emergency descent, if a turn is required, which mode can be used?

• A. Heading
• B. Attitude
• C. Airspeed
• D. Altitude

Answer: (A)

During an emergency descent, you need to change direction quickly and predictably. Heading mode accomplishes this by commanding the aircraft to a specific heading, which rolls the aircraft into a turn toward that new direction and holds the turn until the heading is reached. This lets you steer to a safe route without fighting the descent path.

Attitude mode would keep the aircraft’s existing orientation, so starting a turn would rely on manual input and be less precise. Airspeed mode focuses on maintaining speed, not direction. Altitude mode tries to hold a constant altitude, which conflicts with the descent needed in an emergency. Heading mode directly targets the direction of travel, making it the best choice for a required turn.