Aircraft Weight And Turn Performance
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
Aircraft Weight And Turn Performance
Could one explain how aircraft weight may or may not effect aircraft turning ability or cite a link to such information?
Are control surfaces less effective for a turning aircraft when it is heavier? (for example a fully loaded commercial Boeing as opposed to an empty one)
Thanks!
Are control surfaces less effective for a turning aircraft when it is heavier? (for example a fully loaded commercial Boeing as opposed to an empty one)
Thanks!
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 2
From: Seattle
Airspeed limits and G limits...
At higher weight, the aircraft has a higher minimum flying speed, so the minimum turning radius is larger.
At higher weight the limit G, and therefore bank angle for a level turn, may be lower, so the minimum turn radius may be larger.
The same control surfaces have to overcome more inertia for a heavier airplane, so maximum roll/pitch rates will be less.
At higher weight, the aircraft has a higher minimum flying speed, so the minimum turning radius is larger.
At higher weight the limit G, and therefore bank angle for a level turn, may be lower, so the minimum turn radius may be larger.
The same control surfaces have to overcome more inertia for a heavier airplane, so maximum roll/pitch rates will be less.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Poland
Higher weight means higher wing load (more mass per square meter), and as the force to compensate grows (centifugal force equals mass times speed over radius of turn), you need either greater radius or higher lift from wing. Of course you can choose to increase power and raise lift, and have the same radius, but it's quite natural to say you'll have a bigger radius.
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 0
From: France - mostly
Inertia
The same control surfaces have to overcome more inertia for a heavier airplane, so maximum roll/pitch rates will be less.
regards,
HN39
