TheSonntag From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 3311 posts, RR: 33 Posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 6424 times:
When a civil airplane takes off and does not have to do maneuvers like avoiding collisions or avoiding colliding with mountains, how many G's are usually pulled in a "normal" flight. I guess its not very much, of course, but still I always feel as a passenger that I sometimes get lighter or heavier...
So how much is it usually, and what are limits that are used in flights with passengers?
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10039 posts, RR: 75 Reply 1, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 6428 times:
For reference autopilots are commonly set to "quarter-G" pitch changes. That seems similar to what us corn-fed autopilots might do. So, say with no turbulence from 0.75 to 1.25G in a routine flight.
With turbulence that pilots would call moderate and passengers would call severe, maybe from 0.5 to 1.5G
That's about my guess.
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Starlionblue From Greenland, joined Feb 2004, 15102 posts, RR: 69 Reply 2, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 6306 times:
SlamClick has given operational limits. Airframe limits are of course much higher.
For the 340-300:
Flight maneouvering load acceleration limits:
- clean configuration: +2.5 g to -1.0 g.
- flaps and/or slats extended: +2.0 g to 0 g.
Hard landing limits: More than +2.0 g or sink rate in excess of 10 ft/s (600 ft/min)
Source: http://www.sasflightops.com/
Obviously the plane would hold up to more, but you can see that you will never "pull Gs" as a pax.
Fighter pilots will pull 7 or 9 (in some planes) Gs as a matter of routine, but those pilots are used to it. For the untrained, 3-4 Gs is A LOT. I've experienced 5 once and I almost blacked out despite clenching and breathing properly.
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PhilSquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 6283 times:
During a normal flight the "G" forces are really kept to a minimum. You most like experience more during the takeoff and landing than you do in flight.
For example a 30 degree bank turn, straight and level unaccelerated flight will produce 1.2 "G's", a 45 degree turn is 1.4 and a 60 degree is 2.0. Just as a point of interest a 9 g turn will result from a 84degree turn. Note, all are straight and level, unaccelerated flight.
So, you can see, excluding turbulence, the G force shouldn't be more than 1.2 G's.
Pyrex From Portugal, joined Aug 2005, 3212 posts, RR: 30 Reply 5, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 6255 times:
I once pulled 1.8 g (several times) on an A300 doing parabolic flights (Zero-G) and I can tell you it is a strange feeling on such a large plane. I thought it would be easier to move (it isn't that much compared to fighter jets or extreme rollercoasters) but it wasn't.
I don't know the operational limits of the plane but if they are anything like Starlionblue's figures we were awfully close...
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Newark777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 9348 posts, RR: 38 Reply 7, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 6221 times:
Just as a comparison, those amusement park rides that spin you around and pin you against the wall, they only go up to about 2G's.
Starlionblue From Greenland, joined Feb 2004, 15102 posts, RR: 69 Reply 11, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 6095 times:
Quoting Newark777 (Reply 7): Just as a comparison, those amusement park rides that spin you around and pin you against the wall, they only go up to about 2G's.
Quoting Pyrex (Reply 8): I thought the large roller-coasters went as high as 4-5 g (not continuous, obviously, just for brief moments). Thanks for the correction.
Quoting SuperD (Reply 9):
The highest Gs pulled on rollercoasters are somewhere between 5-6 Gs, but that's only for a nanosecond.
Exactly. About 2 sustained. About 5-6 momentaneous.
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Zvezda From Lithuania, joined Aug 2004, 10511 posts, RR: 71 Reply 13, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 21 hours ago) and read 5786 times:
Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 2): For the 340-300:
Flight maneouvering load acceleration limits:
- clean configuration: +2.5 g to -1.0 g.
- flaps and/or slats extended: +2.0 g to 0 g.
Hard landing limits: More than +2.0 g or sink rate in excess of 10 ft/s (600 ft/min)
Source: http://www.sasflightops.com/
Obviously the plane would hold up to more, but you can see that you will never "pull Gs" as a pax.
Quoting PhilSquares (Reply 4): For example a 30 degree bank turn, straight and level unaccelerated flight will produce 1.2 "G's", a 45 degree turn is 1.4 and a 60 degree is 2.0. Just as a point of interest a 9 g turn will result from a 84degree turn. Note, all are straight and level, unaccelerated flight.
I participated in the acceptance flight testing of an A319. We pulled +2.5g, -1.0g, and executed one 60 degree turn in each direction. I was in the left cockpit jumpseat at the time. I wouldn't mind doing it again.
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