A jet (m = 4.00 105 kg), flying at 139 m/s, banks to make a horizontal circular turn. The radius of the turn is 3810 m. Calculate the necessary lifting force.

Answer 1

Regardless of the radius and velocity, the vertical component of the lift force must balance the weight, M g.

L cos A = M g

where L is the lift force. It is perpendicular to the wing, not straight up.

To get the vertical component, you must know the "banking angle", A. You can get this from

L sin A = M V^2/R (Tilting of the plane creates a horizontal lift component to provide the centripetal force)

To get L alone, square both equations and add

L = M*sqrt[g^2 + V^4/R^2]