In aircraft design and aerodynamics, “load factor” refers to the ratio of the aerodynamic forces acting on an aircraft to the aircraft’s weight. It is a measure of the aircraft’s acceleration in response to these forces, and it is expressed as a dimensionless number or in units of gravitational acceleration (g), which is approximately 9.81 m/s² or 32.2 ft/s².
The load factor is typically denoted by the symbol “n” and is calculated using the following formula:
 
- “n” is the load factor (dimensionless).
- “L” is the lift force acting on the aircraft (usually in newtons or pounds-force).
- “W” is the weight of the aircraft (typically in newtons or pounds-force).