FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane (CAX)Aerodynamics and PerformanceMedium
An airplane climbs from sea level to 30,000 feet while maintaining a constant indicated airspeed and a constant 45° angle of bank in a coordinated turn. How do the load factor and true airspeed change during this climb?
- ALoad factor increases; true airspeed remains constant
- BBoth load factor and true airspeed remain constant
- CLoad factor decreases; true airspeed decreases
- DLoad factor remains constant; true airspeed increases
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Load factor remains constant; true airspeed increases
Load factor in a coordinated turn depends only on bank angle (1/cos(bank)), so it stays constant regardless of altitude. However, because air density decreases with altitude, true airspeed must increase to maintain the same indicated airspeed.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Load factor is independent of altitude and does not increase with altitude alone.
- B. TAS does not remain constant since density decreases with altitude.
- C. Neither value decreases under these conditions.
High-Altitude Turning Performance
Load factor in a coordinated turn is a function of bank angle only, independent of altitude, while true airspeed increases with altitude for a constant indicated airspeed due to decreasing air density.
- Load factor = 1/cos(bank), altitude-independent
- TAS increases with altitude at constant IAS
- Higher TAS at altitude increases turn radius
- Same IAS produces same indicated stall margin regardless of altitude
Memory trick: Thin air, same G, but speed climbs high — TAS grows as density flies by!