The rate of ascent of an aircraft refers to the speed at which it climbs vertically in altitude over a given period of time.When an aircraft’s rate of ascent is positive, it means it is ascending; when it is negative, it means it is descending. The formula for the rate of ascent of an aircraft can be expressed as:
Where:
- is the thrust produced by the aircraft’s engines,
- is the total drag experienced by the aircraft, and
- is the weight of the aircraft.