Yaw (dynamics)

In vehicle dynamics, particularly aircraft flight dynamics, a yaw rotation or yaw motion is a rotation around the yaw axis of a rigid body; it changes the direction it is pointing to the left or right of its direction of motion.

The yaw rate or yaw velocity of a car, aircraft, projectile or other rigid body is the angular velocity of this rotation, or rate of change of the heading angle when the aircraft is horizontal. It is commonly measured in degrees per second or radians per second.

Another important concept is the yaw moment, or yawing moment, which is the component of a torque about the yaw axis.