Question

Which specific flight load acts like a 'hammer blow' to the wing structure, momentarily increasing the angle of attack and lift?

• A. Thrust loads
• B. Maneuvering loads
• C. Gust loads
• D. Centrifugal loads

Hint:

A vertical gust causes \[ \boxed{ \alpha\uparrow \Longrightarrow L\uparrow \Longrightarrow \text{Gust Load}. } \] Gust loads are one of the critical structural design loads for aircraft wings.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Recall the different types of flight loads. Aircraft structures are subjected to several loads such as
• maneuver loads,
• gust loads,
• landing loads,
• thrust loads.

Step 2: Identify the load that suddenly increases lift. When an aircraft encounters a vertical gust, \[ \boxed{ \text{the effective angle of attack increases suddenly.} } \] This causes a rapid increase in lift, producing a short-duration impact similar to a hammer blow on the wing. Therefore, \[ \boxed{\text{Gust loads}} \] is the correct answer. Thus, \[ \boxed{(C)} \] is the correct answer.