Thanks guys, very helpfull.
chornedsnorkack:
Most planes are unable to hover and fly and take off by lift.
Do you mean that most planes cannot takeoff solely on the lift generated by the wings, and therefore require some vertical component of thrust also? If so, approximately how much of the lift required for takeoff is actually generated by the wings?
Wizofoz:
The performance limited MTOW is, but that is not what you are asking (I don't think)
When talking about MTOW, we usually mean maximum structural take off weight. That is, the maximum weight the airframe is certified to operate at without breaking. The limiting factor for this will indeed often be the maximum allowed load on the wing.
To be honest i was asking about performance limited mtow, although i didnt know it. I was under the illusion that mtow was defined in terms of maximum lift, and conditions etc.
Am i right to assume that the structural limits of an aircraft far exceed those that the aircraft is capable of producing on takeoff? i.e. you said transport aircraft are certified to +2g, but on takeoff the g's on the wing will be nowhere near 2g right?
So with regard to structural mtow, is this a useful concept for pilots day to day, it would seem not? Since although the wings could take 2g's, it may be not be possible to load them with that much anyway, and hence impossible to generate that much lift, so a plane loaded to structural mtow, may not even be able to take off right?
It would seem like a more useful one would be performance limited mtow (is there a term for this) since the pilot can then deduce from the weight of the aircraft whether it can actually take off, is this correct?
bekolblockage:
It is the vertical component of thrust that balances the forces.
Yes, how about during cruise. I am aware that some aircraft fly with the nose at a few degrees above horizon, but i always thought this was done purely because it was the optimum angle to reduce drag, is this also partly to create a vertical component of thrust, or is a vertical component not required at all in the cruise?
Thanks again.
Regards
neorich2002