"T o d d P a t t i s t" wrote in message
news
"private" wrote:


with altitude changes, but also other dynamic "q" factors on the
airframe
at
higher "effective" airspeeds.

Thank you for the informative reply. Please define "q"

Q is the term aerodynamicists use to refer to "dynamic
pressure." Dynamic pressure is equal to 1/2 x rho x V**2.

It's the pressure your airspeed reads - the difference
between pitot pressure and static pressure. It's a pressure
solely due to airspeed.

If you listen to a space shuttle launch you will hear a
reference to "max-q." That's the point of max aerodynamic
stress on the shuttle. As the shuttle accelerates, airspeed
increases, which increases q, but as it climbs, rho (air
density) decreases, which decreases q. After max-q the
decreasing air density decreases q faster than the
increasing speed increases it.


thanx, I should have remembered that, but then I would not have learned
about "max q"

Happy landings