Descent Ground Effect Lift 
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.
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.
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Fear of Landing
MAY 3, 2024
The prototype lifted off, hovered and flew at a speed of 40 knots before landing. The forward five-bladed propellers tilt in an angle range of 0° (straight ahead) to 100° (slightly past vertically upwards), allowing the aircraft to shift between vertical lift and forward propulsion. G-EVTL lifted off with all EPUs operating.
Pilot Institute
MARCH 26, 2024
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. The sudden loss of lift can cause the wheels to dig into the ground.
Pilot Institute
MARCH 29, 2024
Lift : The aerodynamic force generated due to airflow over the wings. The aircraft’s deceleration reduces the airflow over the wings, which reduces lift. When the lift force is less than the force of gravity, the aircraft descends. So, how do we increase lift to maintain altitude? The gear adds lots of drag but zero lift.
Air Facts
SEPTEMBER 9, 2024
An incomplete summary description of FASF is whether the airplane made it out of ground effect. To get the extra lift required for the turns, I had to dive to get extra airspeed so that the plane could turn at that same AOA. That phenomenon is best named Failure to Achieve Sustained Flight (FASF).
Chess In the Air
JUNE 24, 2022
There were some patches of moderate lift and sink as would be expected on a normal summer soaring day. Shmulik flew quite fast at ground speeds between 100 and 130 kt, carrying a lot of extra energy. Sometimes you fly through virga and you can even find yourself in lift.
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