Question

Unlike a ship, an airplane does not use its rudder to turn. It turns by banking its wings: The lift force , perpendicular to the wings, has horizontal component, which provides the centripetal acceleration for the turn, and a vertical component, which supports the plane’s weight. (The rudder counteracts yaw and thus it keeps the plane pointed in the direction it is moving.) The famous spy plane, the SR-71 Blackbird, flying at 4,800 km/h,has a turning radius of 290. Km. Find its banking angle.

Answer 1

I think I got it... 32.0 degrees?

Answer 2

V = 4800 km/h = 1333 m/s

Lift*cos A = M*g
Lift*sin A = M V^2/R

Tan A = V^2/(gR) = 0.6255
A = 32.0 degrees

You are correct. Congratulations!