Originally Posted by
morton
LB. My simplistic thinking is as follows. In flight at a constant altitude the Aircraft generated lift (upwards force) equals the Aircraft weight (downward force). Any change to either will, obviously, cause an imbalance and the Aircraft will either rise or fall. The loss of 35,000lb would, I assume, result in a large upward movement and bending of the wings due to this movement and felt as a G force.
You are quite right though, the loss of your legs does indeed cause you to fall to the ground – as I have found on a few lost weekends. However, it was the muscles in your legs that kept you upright and no amount of arm flailing will generate enough lift to compensate for the loss of leg muscle – again as I have found in the past!
It's a long time since I flew a Victor 1, 49 years in fact, but I wonder how far a Victor 1 could carry 35 1000 pounders at a max tow of 185,000 pounds? Marham to Leuchars?
As for the G loading on release, the increase would be about only . 28g . If the aircraft weighed 160,000 pounds then released 35,000 pounds then it now weighs 125,000 pounds with 160,000 pounds of lift, so 160 divided by 125 equals 1.28, assuming instant release and no pitch control input. Not a lot of G even for an airliner in a steady turn at 25 degrees of bank in light turbulence!
QFI hat off !