Understanding the load factor

In a coordinated turn the load factor is increased due to the lift needing to be increased to maintain level flight.

Diagrammatically if you imagine a straight vertical line and then tilt it 45º the line will remain the same length but the lift vector which is still vertical will appear longer.

You will have to extend the bank vector to reach the same level as the vertical vector, this additional length is basically the ‘extra lift required’

Φ Phi = Bank Angle

Cos φ = Adj (1) as one is the no. for 1g (gravity)

Hyp (L) L is the lift that is required due to the angle of bank

Cos is used as we have the adjacent number 1 and the as this is what we require to know (the extra lift required).

So ‘n’ or ‘L’ are both used as load factor symbols.

Cos 45º (45º degree bank angle) = .707

So now we have L = 1(g) / .707 = 1.41

So in a turn with 45º angle of bank, the extra lift required is 41% of the normal 1g flight.