FAA Part 107 Drone Practice Test

What does a level turn do to the load factor on an airplane wing?

1. Decreases it

2. Keeps it constant

3. Increases it

4. Fluctuates it

The correct answer is: Increases it

A level turn increases the load factor on an airplane wing due to the physics involved in the maneuver. When an aircraft turns, it must generate additional lift to counteract the horizontal component of the centrifugal force acting on it. This increase in lift requires a higher angle of bank, resulting in a greater load factor. In a level turn, the wings must generate enough lift not just to keep the aircraft level against gravity but also to sustain the turn. The load factor is defined as the ratio of the total lift to the weight of the aircraft. As the angle of bank increases during the turn, the lift must increase correspondingly. For example, at a 30-degree bank angle, the load factor increases to approximately 1.154 times the weight of the aircraft, and at 60 degrees, it can go up to 2 times the weight. Therefore, the correct answer reflects the fundamental principle of aerodynamics that underlies the performance of an aircraft in a turn, which is crucial for pilots to understand in order to manage the aircraft's performance safely.