PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - descending turn load factor
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Old 14th August 2001 | 13:52
  #9 (permalink)  
ft
 
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 436
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From: N. Europe
Post

If you are in a 60 degree bank at a fixed RoD with a load factor of less than 2 you will be uncoordinated and slipping. To get back into coordinated flight you'll need to load up again, either by adding back pressure to increase the AoA or by accelerating.

The only way to be coordinated with less than 2g in a 60 degree bank is to be accelerating vertically so you will never have a fixed rate of descent.

The trig behind it: Think of the plane viewed from behind with the lift vector pointing straight out of the top of the plane (as it always is during coordinated flight). The vertical component must equal the weight of the aircraft (unless you are accelerating vertically) and the vertical component of the lift vector is L*cos 60 degrees. L*cos 60=W (W being A/C weight)=> L/2=W => L/W=2. The load factor is defined as L/W. Q.E.D.

In a STEEP dive or climb part of the aircraft weight will be lifted by drag or thrust (weight vector tilted forward or aft relative to the airframe while the lift vector stays put perpendicular to the airflow) which will change things a bit.

Cheers,
/ft
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