Acceleration in flight mechanics refers to the rate of change of an aircraft’s velocity with respect to time. It is a fundamental concept that describes how an aircraft’s speed and/or direction of motion change over time. Acceleration is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
- ‘a’ is the vertical acceleration (in meters per second squared or feet per second squared).
- ‘g’ is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s² or 32.2 ft/s²).
- ‘T’ is the total thrust produced by the aircraft’s engines (in newtons or pounds-force).
- ‘D’ is the total drag acting on the aircraft (in newtons or pounds-force).
- ‘W’ is the weight of the aircraft (in newtons or pounds-force).