In a vertical climb, the F-16's wing is producing zero lift. The angle of attack is therefore zero (if measured with respect to the Zero Lift Line. If measured w.r.t. to the chord line, it's negative.)

When you're cruising in our trainer, the lift is not zero, and therefore neither is the angle of attack.

Regards,
Bashibazouk

The wing would surely still be producing a force though right??

In this very specific case, no, not until it is deflected against another force. As long as the plane is perfectly vertical, it is the engine doing the work.

Now in the real world, there would be slight control inputs to keep the plane vertical, so yes there would be small forces applied, but not in the normal sense of a plane flying along the horizontal path.

It's just theory, so it can all be taken for what it's worth.

even more specific, the wings of an f-16 climbing straight up would not be producing vertical lift, but they would be producing lift in the horizontal direction.

What is your location? Perhaps we could suggest a small airport in your vicinity.

Yes a plane does physically change on “rotation”. The weight of the aircraft is transferred from the wheels to the wings.
This is easier to see on large multi engine aircraft then small ones. A B-52 comes to mind. It looks different and sharper in the air because the wings are not drooping down in flight. The long fuselage even straightens out some, but not enough to see from the ground.
This is in laymen’s terms, cause I am not a rocket scientist.

The wing is still producing a force just not a "lifting" or vertical force. Did the air flowing over the wings just dissapear when the plane went vertical?


Thank you!

For a vertical force you are correct. For a "lifting" force, it all depends on our definition of lift.

Lift, from the definitions I've seen, is the force perpendicular to the relative wind. In the scenario being discussed the oncoming flow of the outside air relative to the airplane (relative wind) is straight down because the flight path is straight up. Lift perpendicular to that flow would be parallel to the ground. In other words, the 'horizontal' force Ewfflyer speaks of is lift.

If the F-16 wing can be configured symmetrically, and I don't know whether or not it can, then pure vertical flight would produce no aerodynamic force.

Perfect vertical flight (more accurately; perfect flight at zero lift AOA), in any aircraft, regardless of wing symmetry, will produce zero lifting force.

I still haven't quite figured out why all the little nit pick over vertical flight and lift. Anyways, if anyone here wants to learn about an airfoils zero lift AOA, then look up Absolute AOA. It is what matters in this demonstration. Flying perfectly vertical can only be achieved if the pilot flies at precisely the absolute (zero lift) AOA. Which can be done at any flight attitude, look at the NASA zero G (zero lift) training aircraft for an example.

Not sure this reply was intended for me, but just in case: I never claimed that perfect vertical flight would or wouldn't produce lift. We already agree, flown perfectly, no lift is produced. However, to claim that the wings will no longer develop a lifting force and instead calling it is a horizontal (or some other pilot made up name) force. That is pure BS.