Ground Effect Lift Runway 
Pilot Institute
MARCH 28, 2025
This is called lift. Wingtip vortices are a byproduct of lift. Once the wing stops producing lift, the vortices dissipate instantly. Wing spoilers drastically reduce the lift generated by the wing. Its important because the lift is always produced perpendicular to the relative wind. Why is this important?
Fear of Landing
JANUARY 17, 2025
On the 29th of December 2024, a Boeing 737-800 operated by a low-cost South Korean airline crashed after an emergency landing and overshooting the runway at Muan International Airport in South Korea. They turned and attempted to land in the opposite direction of the runways operation that day, going north to south.
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Plane and Pilot
JULY 10, 2025
Since the 7,600-foot main runway was unavailable, I ran the numbers for the lightly-loaded Cardinal for takeoff on the 4,400-foot cross runway. The first half of the takeoff was on a slight downgrade, acceleration seemed OK, and we broke ground about the same time as we crossed the longer Runway 21 Left/3 Right.
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. As it crossed the departure end of the runway, it was in a left bank and then struck a tree, then came down in shallow water off a public beach.
Pilot Institute
OCTOBER 2, 2024
But, as you near the runway, the airplane starts to float. 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.
Flight Training Central
MAY 6, 2024
This meant the airplane, if were to carry anything, had to be built from very light materials incapable of providing support for a wing long enough to generate the needed lift. The bi-wing design allows two shorter wings to be braced against one another with a series of struts and wires providing the strength and lifting surface required.
Fear of Landing
MAY 3, 2024
On the 9th of August 2023, a VX4 crashed at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire during a test flight over the runway. The prototype lifted off, hovered and flew at a speed of 40 knots before landing. G-EVTL lifted off with all EPUs operating. Then the pilot carefully climbed to 30 feet above the runway.
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