In straight-and-level flight, the load factor is typically:

In straight-and-level flight, the load factor is typically:

• A. 0 G
• B. 1 G
• C. 2 G
• D. 3 G

Answer: (B)

In straight-and-level flight the lift from the wings exactly balances the aircraft’s weight, so there is no vertical acceleration. The load factor is the ratio of lift to weight, L/W, and since they are equal, that ratio is unity. In practical terms, you and the airplane feel normal gravity—the same as at rest. If you were in a level turn or pulled up, the wings would need to supply more lift to provide the centripetal force, raising the load factor above unity. Weightlessness (0 G) isn’t a feature of steady straight-and-level flight.

In straight-and-level flight the lift from the wings exactly balances the aircraft’s weight, so there is no vertical acceleration. The load factor is the ratio of lift to weight, L/W, and since they are equal, that ratio is unity. In practical terms, you and the airplane feel normal gravity—the same as at rest. If you were in a level turn or pulled up, the wings would need to supply more lift to provide the centripetal force, raising the load factor above unity. Weightlessness (0 G) isn’t a feature of steady straight-and-level flight.