diff --git a/simulator/e2e/tests/altitude-lock.spec.ts b/simulator/e2e/tests/altitude-lock.spec.ts
index 7cad845..479121c 100644
--- a/simulator/e2e/tests/altitude-lock.spec.ts
+++ b/simulator/e2e/tests/altitude-lock.spec.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,21 @@ test("wheel auto-scrubs one altitude and locks", async ({ page }) => {
   expect(await page.locator("#scale-name").textContent()).toBe(landed);    // locked
 });
 
+test("auto-scrub speed is constant per altitude (a 2-step jump takes ~2x a 1-step)", async ({ page }) => {
+  await boot(page);
+  async function timeJump(deltaY: number, target: string): Promise<number> {
+    const t0 = await page.evaluate(() => performance.now());
+    await page.locator("#stage").dispatchEvent("wheel", { deltaY });
+    await page.waitForFunction((tgt) => !!document.querySelector("#scale-name")?.textContent?.includes(tgt), target, { timeout: 20000 });
+    return (await page.evaluate(() => performance.now())) - t0;
+  }
+  const t1 = await timeJump(60, "orbit");    // cosmos -> orbit (1 altitude)
+  const t2 = await timeJump(120, "reef");    // orbit -> reef (2 altitudes)
+  const ratio = t2 / t1;
+  expect(ratio).toBeGreaterThan(1.5);        // proportional to distance, not a fixed total
+  expect(ratio).toBeLessThan(2.7);           // ~2x, not more
+});
+
 test("a landed clip loops from the morph-tail offset (no jump-back to frame 0)", async ({ page }) => {
   await boot(page);
   await enableVideo(page);                                // base loop only loads when video is shown
diff --git a/simulator/static/app.js b/simulator/static/app.js
index 3f33058..947dc72 100644
--- a/simulator/static/app.js
+++ b/simulator/static/app.js
@@ -639,14 +639,21 @@ function debounced() { clearTimeout(timer); timer = setTimeout(update, 80); }
 
 // --- Scale ring (endless encoder, scrub-driven — see the scrub engine below) ---
 
-// Animate `pos` to a target over `ms`, driving the same scrub path as a drag, then
-// land exactly on the integer target (frac 0 settles + locks in setPos).
+// Per-altitude duration of an AUTO transition (wheel / label-click). The total time
+// is PROPORTIONAL to the distance, so the speed between any two adjacent altitudes is
+// the same — a 2-altitude jump takes twice as long as a 1-altitude one. (A manual
+// drag is exempt: the operator drives its speed directly.)
+const PER_ALTITUDE_MS = 1200;
+
+// Animate `pos` to a target at a constant per-altitude speed, driving the same scrub
+// path as a drag, then land exactly on the integer target (frac 0 settles + locks).
 let autoRaf = 0;
-function autoScrub(targetPos, ms = 600) {
+function autoScrub(targetPos, perAltMs = PER_ALTITUDE_MS) {
   if (!ring || ring.scales.length < 2) return;
   if (autoRaf) cancelAnimationFrame(autoRaf);
   const fromPos = pos, dist = targetPos - fromPos;
   if (!dist) { setPos(targetPos); return; }
+  const ms = perAltMs * Math.abs(dist);          // constant per-altitude speed → N steps take N× as long
   let startTs = null;
   const tick = (ts) => {
     if (startTs === null) startTs = ts;