Descent Drag Ground Effect 
Plane and Pilot
JULY 1, 2025
A witness reported that they saw the airplane lift off from the runway and remain in ground effect until it crossed the departure end of the runway. The airplane made a slow descent toward the east for about nine minutes, away from the destination airport. He had no further memory of the event.
Vintage Aviation News
DECEMBER 26, 2024
Foust did everything in his training to try and recover from the spin, including deploying his plane’s drag chute. ” After briefly entering the ground effect, F-106A 58-0787 mad an unpiloted, wheels-up landing in a frozen wheatfield outside Big Sandy, Montana.
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Pilot Institute
OCTOBER 2, 2024
It’s not magic—it’s ground effect. When you’re flying near the ground, within one wingspan, the aerodynamic forces start to change. Your wings don’t create as much drag as they would at higher altitudes, which gives you extra lift. Ground effect is a phenomenon that every pilot must master.
Pilot Institute
MARCH 26, 2024
However, the increased drag might make it impossible to take off again. Hold this extra power as you enter ground effect. Low-wing aircraft perform better in ground effect because of the wing’s proximity to the ground. High-wing aircraft might need more power or pitch to arrest the descent.
Pilot Institute
MARCH 29, 2024
Drag : The aerodynamic force opposing the aircraft’s forward motion. This increases lift but comes at the cost of increased induced drag. Pilots must counteract the additional drag with more thrust to maintain altitude. Later flap stages add mostly drag. The gear adds lots of drag but zero lift.
Plane and Pilot
OCTOBER 3, 2024
Winging It Aside from the aforementioned desire for a greater aspect ratio for reduced drag, the one-piece Gweduck wing was developed for minimal weight, ease of construction and benign handling. Keeping drag corralled was emphasized as the Gweduck mission is foremost long-distance cruising. Maintenance room is generally very good.
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