Ground Effect

Fleet ： A330
Name ： Alex Wu
Time ： 15 Minutes
1
 Introductions
 Induced Drag
 What is the Ground Effect ？
 Principle of ground effect
 Compare high or low winged aircraft
 What situation the Ground Effect will cause ？
（ During Takeoff ）
 What situation the Ground Effect will cause ？
（ During Landing ）

2
 Induced Drag
 Induced drag is generated by the airflow
circulation around the wing as it creates lift
 The high pressure air beneath the wing joins
the low pressure air above the wing at the
trailing edge and wingtips

3
Induced Drag （ cont’ ）

4
 Induced Drag （ cont’d ）

Induced
Downwash

5
 Induced Drag （ cont’d ）
 This causes a spiral or vortex which trails behind
each wingtip whenever lift is being produced
 These wingtip vortices have the effect of deflecting
the airstream downward in the vicinity of the wing,
creating an increase in downwash
 Because of the lift produced by the wing is
perpendicular to the relative wind, the lift is inclined
aft by the same amount
 The component of lift acting in a rearward direction
is induced drag
6
 What is the Ground Effect ？
 As it pertains to fixed wing aircraft, "ground
effect" refers to the increased lift and decreased
drag that an aircraft airfoil or wing generates
when an aircraft is about one wingspan's length or
less over the ground (or surface).Ground effect
often gives pilots and/or passengers of light
aircraft the feeling that the aircraft is "floating",
especially when landing.

7
 Principle of ground effect
 When an aircraft is flying at an altitude that is
approximately at or below the same distance
as the aircraft's wingspan there is, depending
on airfoil and aircraft design, an often
noticeable ground effect.

8
Principle of ground effect （ cont’d ）

9
Principle of ground effect （ cont’d ）
 This is caused primarily by the ground
interrupting the wingtip vortices and
downwash behind the wing. When a wing is
flown very close to the ground, wingtip
vortices are unable to form effectively due to
the obstruction of the ground. The result is
lower induced drag, which increases the speed
and lift of the aircraft while it is in the ground
effect.
10
Principle of ground effect （ cont’d ）

11
Compare high or low winged aircraft
 Low winged aircraft are more affected by
ground effect than high wing aircraft . Due to
the change in up-wash, down-wash and
wingtip vortices there may be errors in the
airspeed system while in ground effect due to
changes in the local pressure at the static
source.

12
 What situation
the Ground Effect will cause ？ “
During Takeoff ”
 With the reduction of induced drag in ground e
ffect, an airplane is capable of lifting off at low
er-than-normal speed
 If you attempt to climb out of ground effect be
fore reaching the speed for normal climb, the a
irplane might sink back to the surface

13
 What situation
the Ground Effect will cause ？
“ During Landing ”
 If the approach airspeed is too fast, the aircraft
will tend to float down the runway, delaying to
uchdown of the aircraft. This can create a dang
erous condition where the aircraft may actually
run out of runway space, creating an unsafe la
nding condition. If this situation were to occur,
a prudent pilot would perform a go-around and
land again. Ground effect applies to all fixed-w
ing aircraft, including sailplanes and microligh
ts. 14
 What situation
the Ground Effect will cause ？
During Landing （ cont’d ）
 While in the ground effect, the wing will
require a lower angle of attack to produce the
same amount of lift. If the angle of attack and
velocity remain constant, an increase in the lift
coefficient will result, accounting for the
"floating" effect. Ground effect will also alter
thrust versus velocity in that reducing induced
drag will require less thrust to maintain
velocity. 15
Thank you very much!!

Have a nice flight!!

16