PRINCIPLES OF FLIGHT 25 WWW.GOFLY.ONLINE Y ONLI NE FLI GHT SCHOOL Load Factor Load factor is the ratio of the total aerodynamic force (including lift) to the aircraft’s weight. It represents the amount of force, or stress, experienced by the aircraft in flight compared to the force of gravity. In a turn, the load factor on an aircraft increases due to the additional lift required to maintain the curved flight path. Effects of bank angle Stall airspeed Increasing the bank angle increases the load factor, which in turn increases the stall speed.This is because the increased bank angle requires the aircraft to generate more lift to maintain altitude in the turn, leading to a higher angle of attack and an increased stall speed. Load Factor Increasing the bank angle increases the load factor experienced by the aircraft. The load factor is directly proportional to the cosine of the bank angle. For example, in a 60-degree banked turn, the load factor is approximately 2G. Airframe Increasing the bank angle subjects the aircraft’s structure to higher aerodynamic loads due to the increased load factor. Excessive bank angles can lead to structural deformation, wingtip stall, or even loss of control if the bank angle exceeds the aircraft’s capabilities. Limitations on steep turns A steep turn is considered to be between 45 to 60° angle of bank. Pilots should avoid these turns in the following phases of flight. Takeoff • Anything greater than a gentle turn of 15 degrees should not be conducted on takeoff. • During takeoff the aircraft has a low airspeed and has a small margin between the climb speed and the stall speed. • In a steep turn the load factor and stall speed increases. • The aircraft is at risk of stalling if a steep turn is conducted during takeoff. Glide approach • During a glide approach, any bank angle of 30 degrees should be avoided. • A steep turn increases the G loading and stall speed. During a glide, the airspeed is low and there is a small margin between this airspeed and the stall speed. If a steep turn is conducted, the aircraft is at greater risk of stalling. Stalling, Spinning And Spiral Dives The stalling angle An aerofoil’s angle of attack is the angle between the relative airflow and the chord line. An aircraft wing stalls when its angle of attack exceeds the critical angle which in most training aircraft is about 16 degrees angle of attack. The symptoms of an approaching stall An aircraft will rarely stall without any prior warning. There are usually symptoms that alert the pilot that the aircraft is about to stall. Some of these symptoms may be subtle and it largely depends on the aircraft type and phase of flight. Some of these symptoms are listed below.
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