12.62 Climbing Flight

12.62.2 Using a diagram, show and name the forces acting in a steady climb.

In a steady climb, the aircraft climbs at a constant airspeed, so the forces are in balance along and perpendicular to the flight path (not the horizontal).

Forces Acting:

• Lift (L): Acts perpendicular to the flight path
• Weight (W): Acts vertically downward
• Thrust (T): Acts forward along the flight path
• Drag (D): Acts opposite to the flight path

Force Balance in a Steady Climb:

• Thrust > Drag → provides the force required to climb
• Lift < Weight → because part of the weight is balanced by a component of thrust

More precisely:

• Lift balances the component of weight perpendicular to the flight path
• Thrust balances drag plus the component of weight acting down the flight path

Summary

In a steady climb:

• Thrust must exceed drag
• Lift is less than weight
• Forces are balanced relative to the inclined flight path, allowing a constant-speed climb.

12.62.4 Distinguish between:

(a) maximum angle of climb;

The maximum angle of climb is the steepest climb angle the aircraft can achieve, giving the greatest gain in altitude for a given horizontal distance.