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This whole gust load thing is very interesting. Why does the safe speed to fly in gusts DECREASE as the airplane gets lighter?

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This whole gust load thing is very interesting. Why does the safe speed to fly in gusts DECREASE as the airplane gets lighter?

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Remember the equation of lift: Lift = 1/2 CL * p * S * v2 Where CL is the coefficient of lift, dependent on wing form and angle of attack p is air density S is wing area v is airspeed, and the little two means that it is squared (multiplied by itself) You don’t have to know the whole equation, just remember that lift increases if the airplane goes faster, or if the angle of attack increases. Remember also that when the angle of attack reaches the stalling angle, lift decreases. The airplane can stall at any speed, if that stalling angle is reached. The stall speed quoted in a small airplane POH represents the unaccelerated power off stall speed at gross weight. If you slow down gradually, you have to increase the angle of attack to maintain lift. At gross weight you will reach that angle of attack at the published stall speed. At a lower weight, you will not stall until you reach a lower speed, because you need less lift to counteract your weight. Your stall speed decreases with the sq

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