Basic Lift Formula

Most aircraft accidents occur during the take-off and landing phase of the flight. Collisions with
obstacles during climb out, runway overruns on landing do occur every now and then.

On this part of the site we will take a look at the various factors contributing to the performance of
the aircraft in this part of the flight.

We take a look at the basic lift formula, aircraft stall speed and those factors which have the greatest
influence on that number. Flaps, leading and trailing edge, together with vortex generators will be
investigated as pilots are using these devices more or less on every flight.

Stall speed is important as below that speed the wing refuses to generate lift and during take-off and
landing we fly close to that speed.

The loss of lift and stall symptoms will be discussed as are the best rate and angle of climbs speeds
typically used when the aircraft needs to clear obstacles.

We will see that stall speeds and spins are related as they can be the result of an airspeed which got
too low or an angle of attack which was too high.

Wing Lift Creation

A wing creates lift based on two effects: Bernoulli's principle and Newton's third law. The curvature
of the wing uses the reduction in static pressure above the wing (Bernoulli) so that the pressure
below it is greater thus pushing the wing upward. When airflow passes around the wing or aerofoil it
is deflected downward due to the angle of attack, thus creating an upward force (Newton).

These two effects combined create an upward force called lift and a rearward force called drag and
the magnitude depends on a number of factors as we shall see below.

Lift formula
As we all (should) know, the lift formula gives us a good representation of what is going on: L = 1/2
V2 x S x CL. Where 1/2 V2 is air density times airspeed resulting in dynamic energy, S is wing area
and CL the coefficient lift. Change any of these variables and the amount of lift will change too.

For example: if you were to change speed (everything else being equal), the amount of lift will
change and the aircraft will change altitude. For as lift (L) opposes weight (W) and if these two forces
are equal, the aircraft will remain at the same level, or altitude.

Dynamic energy, (1/2 V2)

Air density times airspeed results in dynamic energy, this caused by the movement of the aircraft in
the surrounding air stream and is indicated as IAS (indicated airspeed). See also aircraft speeds.

Coefficient lift, (CL)

Flaps changing AOA on a wing
A given wing always stalls at the same CLmax (with a certain maximum angle of attack) for that
configuration. Changing the shape of the wing by extending or retracting flaps (slats too, of course)
will result in CLmax having a higher value but at a different angle of attack.
In fact, extending flaps increases CLmax but lowers the angle of attack (AOA) where the stall will
occur. Extending the leading edge slats will increase both of them, AOA and CLmax.

Wing area, (S)

Changing the amount of wing area changes the amount of lift too. Certain type of flaps (Fowler
types, for example) extend behind the wing thus increasing the wing area (S).

During flight, the wing area (S) is more or less constant for a given wing configuration so we can
assume that stall speed is influenced by angle of attack (AOA) and indicated airspeed alone: Lift = IAS
x CL. Thus for a flight at a constant altitude there is only one IAS matched by one AOA resulting in lift
equal to weight and the aircraft will not climb or descend.

Angle of Attack, (AOA)

Definition: The angle of attack is the angle between the chord of the airfoil (determined by wing
form) and the incoming relative wind.

Now imagine that the pilot wants to reduce speed and remain at the same altitude. IAS reduces thus
the AOA must increase so that resulting lift still equals the actual weight. This process may continue
until AOA reaches its maximum angle, after which the wing will absolutely stall. And this speed is
your basic level stall speed, VS, important for landings.