T-4-3 - Turn Performance
T-4-3 - Turn Performance
T-4-3 - Turn Performance
MACE 20400
Dr Nicholas Bojdo
[email protected]
2. G-force
The Cost of a Turn
• A banked turn is used to navigate in the horizontal plane, for example to change track (heading) in
a given flight corridor, or to line up with the runway. The turn radii can be several kilometres.
G-force
• G-force and load factor effectively mean the same thing. We use g-force to conceptually describe
• If we are experiencing a force of 12G, it means , and we feel a sensation that gravity has been
• However, is unit-less and has a strict definition for our performance analyses:
Turn Radius and Turn Rate
• The tight manoeuvres performed in the Red Bull Air Race are all about pulling ‘g’. The throttle
(engine power) is flat out, and the pilot pulls turns by coordinating yoke and rudder pedal inputs.
airspeed
g-meter
yoke
Controls in a High ‘G’ Turn
• In each extreme turn, he uses the ailerons to roll the aircraft, and the elevator to pitch the aircraft
Roll / bank
• When the aircraft is banked to 90 degrees, there is no lift remaining to balance the weight.
• The pilot uses rudder input to yaw the aircraft and utilise the propeller thrust to balance weight.
𝑇
𝐷
• This is the case for a ‘knife edge’ turn in an aerobatic racer; turns in