Asymmetric Loads And Maneuvering Stalls

Almost any time the discussion is about stalling at greater than 1g, it usually involves symmetrical flight, where all portions of the airplanes structure are experiencing the same g-loading. But what if, say, one wing is at 2g and the other is at 3g, as might be the case in a rolling (banking) pull-up from a dive? The rising wing is experiencing greater g loading because its generating more lift. The descending wing, on the other hand, experiences less loading because its not generating as much.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, August 25, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Asymmetric loading, where different parts of an airplane like the wings experience unequal g-loads, can cause the more heavily loaded wing to stall first.
To prevent structural damage and ensure airframe survival, maximum g-loading maneuvers (e.g., pulling out of a dive) should only be executed with wings level.
When asymmetric loading is unavoidable, pilots should not rely on panel-mounted g-meters and instead limit the load to approximately two-thirds of the airframe's rated load limit.

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Almost any time the discussion is about stalling at greater than 1g, it usually involves symmetrical flight, where all portions of the airplane’s structure are experiencing the same g-loading. But what if, say, one wing is at 2g and the other is at 3g, as might be the case in a rolling (banking) pull-up from a dive? The rising wing is experiencing greater g loading because it’s generating more lift. The descending wing, on the other hand, experiences less loading because it’s not generating as much.

That’s asymmetric loading, and the rising wing will stall first, because it will reach its critical AoA earlier than the other one. The structure will survive only if the maximum g experienced by any part of the airframe is less than the load limit. In other words, placing maximum loading on an airframe—by pulling out of a dive, for example—should only be done with the wings level.