How does an increase in angle of bank affect the load factor?

An increase in the angle of bank during a turn directly impacts the load factor experienced by the aircraft. As the angle of bank increases, the aircraft must generate more lift to counteract the increased load on the wings caused by the centrifugal force acting on the aircraft.

At a bank angle of 0°, the load factor is 1, which indicates that the lift generated equals the weight of the aircraft. However, as the bank angle increases, the aircraft must produce additional lift to maintain altitude against gravitational forces. Specifically, the load factor can be calculated using the formula: Load Factor = 1 / cos(θ), where θ is the angle of bank. This relationship shows that as the bank angle approaches 90 degrees, the load factor increases significantly.

After reaching around 50°, the increase in load factor becomes more pronounced, illustrating how the lift requirements change drastically with further banking. Therefore, if the aircraft banks more steeply, the load factor can rise exponentially, leading to a potentially higher stress on the aircraft structure and increased risk of stalling if not managed appropriately. Thus, understanding this relationship is crucial for pilots during maneuvers.