Center of lift

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Revision as of 01:30, 30 October 2014 by Itsjustrocketscience (talk | contribs) (added how to use the center of mass to predict how a plane might tilt in flight.)
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The center of lift within the center of mass indicator
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The center of lift is one of three measurable forces in the Vehicle Assembly Building and Space Plane Hangar. Used mainly when creating planes, it shows the axis and direction of lift provided by wings, control surfaces and winglets. Inside the editor it is showed as a cyan-coloured sphere (axis) along with an arrow (direction of the lift).

Uses in plane bulding

The location of the center of lift (abbreviated CoL) in relation to a plane's center of mass defines the plane's behavior in flight. Depending on where the center of lift is placed, the consumption of fuel may affect the center of mass in such a way that the plane becomes back-heavy and very unstable over time. To counteract this, it's recommended to place the center of lift slightly behind the center of mass, as this will keep the plane stable throughout the flight despite the shifting weight of the fuel.

Using the center of lift

The center of lift can tell you how a plane will move in flight. If the lift is to far behind the center of mass then the plane will tip slightly forward, if it is to far forward then it will tip backwards. Similarly, if it is too far to the right it rolls left and if it is to the left it rolls right. It is good to have it close to the center of mass to prevent tipping.

See also