During maneuvers, the load factor can be greater than 1. This means the wings are supporting more lift than the aircraft's weight. Which statement describes this condition?

• A. Negative load factor
• B. Positive load factor
• C. Zero load factor
• D. Inverse load factor

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that load factor is the ratio of lift to weight. When you’re maneuvering, the wings must generate enough lift not only to support the aircraft’s weight but also to provide the centripetal force for the turn or pull. If lift exceeds weight, the load factor is greater than one, which is a positive load factor. That’s exactly what’s described here—the wings are lifting more than the airplane’s weight, so the load factor is positive.

In other terms, level straight flight has a load factor of one. A banked turn increases lift to balance the vertical component of weight, so lift becomes greater than weight and the load factor climbs above one. Negative load factor would imply a situation where the readings indicate less lift than weight (or inverted conditions that produce a lighter feel), zero load factor would mean no lift is supporting weight (not typical in flight maneuvers), and inverse load factor isn’t a standard term.