Private Pilot Private Exam

The amount of excess load that can be imposed on the wing of an airplane is influenced by what factor?

1. Weight distribution in the cabin

2. Speed of the airplane

3. Temperature of the air

4. Angle of bank during turns

The correct answer is: Speed of the airplane

The speed of the airplane significantly influences the amount of excess load that can be imposed on the wings during flight. As an aircraft increases its speed, the aerodynamic forces acting on the wings also increase. This is because lift, which counteracts the weight of the airplane, is generated through airflow over the wings. The lift produced is directly affected by the square of the speed; as speed doubles, the lift generated greatly increases. In maneuvering, particularly during turns, the load factor increases with the angle of bank, but this is a result of the speed at which the aircraft is moving combined with the bank angle. Hence, while the angle of bank does impact load factor, it is fundamentally tied to the aircraft's speed. Other factors, like weight distribution in the cabin or temperature of the air, may have indirect effects but are not primary influences on the load imposed on the wings during normal operations. It's primarily the speed that dictates how much excess load can be tolerated before reaching critical stress levels in the aircraft structure.