PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - descending turn load factor
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Old 10th August 2001 | 18:28
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ShyTorque

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I agree that there would be no net effect once a steady descent was achieved. There would be NIL vertical acceleration and therefore NIL load factor effect. The fact that a turn is taking place is of no significance.

A simple analogy : Does my weight appear to change while my car goes down a hill at a steady speed? No, only while it goes over the brow, when I may feel light in the seat. Once on the hill it makes no difference.

Astronauts undergo weightlessness training in specially converted large airliners (cleared out of all furniture and padded walls etc). The load factor is reduced to zero by flying a special profile (an elliptical bunt manoeuvre) which results in a constant vertical acceleration.

This is definitely not flown on commercial passengers flights as it upsets the tea and coffee and makes the cabin crews' dresses float up over their heads.



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