Loiter (flight)

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In aeronautics and aviation, Loiter is a phase of flight. The phase consists of cruising for a certain amount of time over a small region. The loiter phase occurs, for general aviation, generally at the end of the flight plan, normally when the plane is waiting for clearance to land. However, some aircraft used for special purposes, like reconnaissance, may have a loiter phase in mid-flight.

[edit] Endurance

The endurance of the aircraft during the loiter phase is calculated using the following:

E = \frac{1}{C} \frac{L}{D} \ln \left( \frac{W_i}{W_f} \right)

where:

  • E \,\! is the endurance time of the aircraft
  • C \,\! is a constant for different aircraft types
  • L \,\! is the total lift force on the aircraft
  • D \,\! is the total drag force on the aircraft
  • W_i \,\! is the weight of the aircraft at the start of the phase
  • W_f \,\! is the weight of the aircraft at the end of the phase
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