In flight mechanics, the lift coefficient for steady level flight represents the dimensionless coefficient that quantifies the lift produced by an aircraft to maintain level flight. In steady level flight, the lift is equal to the weight. The lift coefficient directly impacts an aircraft’s aerodynamic efficiency; higher lift coefficients enable lower speeds or heavier payloads to be sustained during level flight. The formula to calculate lift coefficient as follows:
Where:
- W is the Aircraft weight in N.
- q is the dynamic pressure in Pa,
- S is the Wing area in m2.