Ratio of Lift to Weight

Load factor is the ratio of the load supported by the wings to the actual weight of the aircraft. In a level turn it depends only on bank angle: 30° gives about 1.15 g, 45° about 1.41 g, and 60° exactly 2 g. Stall speed increases with the square root of load factor.

Source FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25) · checked 2026-08-25