The ascending blade has a _____ angle of attack in a climb, so it generates less thrust.

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Multiple Choice

The ascending blade has a _____ angle of attack in a climb, so it generates less thrust.

Explanation:
In a rotor system, thrust on each blade depends on its angle of attack, which is how the blade’s chord line meets the relative wind. In a climb, the rotor pushes air downward through the disk, and the blade on the ascending side moves upward into that downward flow. This motion reduces the effective angle between the blade and the oncoming air, so the ascending blade has a smaller angle of attack. A smaller angle of attack means it generates less thrust than the blade on the opposite (descending) side, which meets the flow at a higher angle of attack and produces more thrust.

In a rotor system, thrust on each blade depends on its angle of attack, which is how the blade’s chord line meets the relative wind. In a climb, the rotor pushes air downward through the disk, and the blade on the ascending side moves upward into that downward flow. This motion reduces the effective angle between the blade and the oncoming air, so the ascending blade has a smaller angle of attack. A smaller angle of attack means it generates less thrust than the blade on the opposite (descending) side, which meets the flow at a higher angle of attack and produces more thrust.

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