What is the expected result of flying at a higher airspeed during a turn?

Study for your Commercial Ground – Basic Aerodynamics Exam. Prepare with multiple choice questions, detailed explanations, and hints. Excel in your aerodynamics knowledge!

Flying at a higher airspeed during a turn generally leads to an increase in turn radius. This occurs because a pilot establishes a bank angle to create the necessary lift component for the turn, and the centripetal force required to maintain the turn is directly related to the speed of the aircraft.

As airspeed increases, the aircraft requires a greater radius to maintain a balanced turn at a constant bank angle. This is due to the nature of centrifugal force, which becomes more significant with higher speeds; thus, the aircraft cannot turn as tightly without risking increased load factors and potential loss of control.

In contrast, other options touch on different aerodynamic principles. Increasing lift is associated with the angle of attack and airflow over the wings, while changes to stall speed refer to the aircraft’s ability to maintain controlled flight at lower speeds. Additionally, induced drag is generally higher at lower speeds and can decrease with increasing speed, but that aspect does not necessarily correlate with the radius of the turn. Thus, the concept of turn radius is the primary focus of this question.

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