In flight mechanics, the normal force, often denoted as Z, represents the force exerted perpendicular to the direction of motion of an aircraft. Specifically, it refers to the aerodynamic lift force generated by the wings during flight. The normal force acts opposite to the gravitational force, providing the necessary lift to keep the aircraft airborne.
Where:
- is the Normal Force in N,
- Â is the normal force coefficient,
- is the dynamic pressure in pa, and
- is the reference wing area in m2.