An Analysis of Normal Accelerations and Airspeeds of One Type of Twin-Engine Transport Airplane in Commercial Operations Over a Northern Transcontinental Route

Normal-acceleration and airspeed data obtained for one type of twin-engine transport airplane in commercial operations over a northern transcontinental route are analyzed to determine the gust and gust-load experiences of the airplane. The acceleration increments experienced equaled or exceeded the limit-gust-load factor, on the average, twice once positive and once negative in about 7.5 x 106 flight miles, and an effective gust velocity of 30 feet per second was equaled or exceeded twice in about 1 x 100 flight miles. data indicated that the maximum gusts and gust loads experienced in the winter were roughly 10 percent higher than those experienced in the summer on this route.