Which has the effect of increasing load factor, all else constant?

• A. Vertical gusts.
• B. A heavier aircraft weight.
• C. Decrease in air density.
• D. Longer wingspan.

Answer: (A)

Load factor is the ratio of lift to weight. In steady flight, lift equals weight, so the load factor is one. A vertical gust creates a rapid upward movement of air relative to the aircraft, which increases dynamic pressure and the lift produced by the wings for that moment. Since the weight hasn’t changed, that extra lift means the lift-to-weight ratio rises above one, increasing the load factor. The other factors either change the required lift (heavier weight) or the available lift (air density), but they don’t produce the same instantaneous excess of lift over weight that a vertical gust does.