Does aircraft weight affect speed?
Does aircraft weight affect speed? A nice rule of thumb for most light aircraft is that a 10% increase in take-off weight will result in a 5% increase in take-off speed, at least a 9% decrease in acceleration, and at least a 21% increase in take-off distance (1).
Does the weight of the plane matter?
Weight affects the balance point of the aircraft. This is one of the most important points of an airplane because it directly impacts the stability and performance of the aircraft.
Do planes fly faster at night?
Technically, no. Day/night has nothing to do with it. If anything, pilots that are flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) might opt to fly higher than during the day to improve their odds and better avoid inadvertently flying near terrain or obstructions that are less visible.
Why do heavier planes fly faster?
Kind of. If you load an aircraft more, it needs, from it's wings, more lift force to balance the now greater force of gravity pulling it down. That larger lift force can be obtained in three ways. By increasing the airspeed, by increasing the angle of attack, by changing the wing geometry.
How important is weight on an aircraft?
Weight is a major factor in aircraft construction and operation and demands respect from all pilots. The force of gravity continuously attempts to pull an aircraft down toward Earth. The force of lift is the only force that counteracts weight and sustains an aircraft in flight.
Why do commercial planes not fly faster?
Typical commercial airplanes are not designed to fly faster than the speed of sound, also known as Mach 1. If they get too fast, the air begins forming shockwaves along the wing that can cause the aircraft to become uncontrollable.
Why do planes fly faster at night?
Often at night there is less air traffic, so you're more likely to get shortcuts, shaving sometimes 10 or 15 minutes off a flight time.