The load factor is the ratio of which two quantities?

The load factor is the ratio of which two quantities?

• A. Weight divided by lift.
• B. Lift divided by weight.
• C. Wing area times speed.
• D. Thrust divided by drag.

Answer: (B)

The load factor is the lift divided by the aircraft’s weight. It’s a dimensionless measure of how many times the airplane’s weight is being supported, especially during maneuvers. In straight-and-level flight, lift equals weight, so the load factor is 1. In a banked turn, the wings must generate extra lift to provide the centripetal force, so lift exceeds weight and the load factor rises (n = L/W). For a level coordinated turn, n equals 1 over the cosine of the bank angle, increasing as the bank increases. This concept isn’t about wing area or speed, nor about thrust and drag, which is why lift divided by weight is the correct description.

The load factor is the lift divided by the aircraft’s weight. It’s a dimensionless measure of how many times the airplane’s weight is being supported, especially during maneuvers. In straight-and-level flight, lift equals weight, so the load factor is 1. In a banked turn, the wings must generate extra lift to provide the centripetal force, so lift exceeds weight and the load factor rises (n = L/W). For a level coordinated turn, n equals 1 over the cosine of the bank angle, increasing as the bank increases. This concept isn’t about wing area or speed, nor about thrust and drag, which is why lift divided by weight is the correct description.