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A load factor is the ratio of the total air load acting on the glider to the gross weight of the glider. A glider in flight with a load factor of one does not mean the glider is accelerating; it means the lift on the aircraft is the same as in straight- and-level flight. Load factor may be positive or negative, dependent on the current flightpath. 

A load factor of three means that the total load on a glider’s structure is three times its gross weight. Gravity load factors are usually expressed in terms of “G”—that is, a load factor of three may be spoken of as three Gs, or a load factor of four as four Gs. A load factor of one, or 1 G, represents conditions in straight-and-level flight, in which the lift is equal to the weight. Therefore, two Gs would be two times the normal weight. Gliders may be designed to withstand stress of up to nine Gs. 

It is interesting to note that in subjecting a glider to three Gs in a pullup from a dive, the pilot is pressed down into the seat with a force equal to three times the person’s weight. Thus, an idea of the magnitude of the load factor obtained in any maneuver can be determined by considering the degree to which the pilot is pressed down into the seat. Since the operating speed of modern gliders has increased significantly, this effect has become so pronounced that it is a primary consideration in the design of the structure for all gliders. 

If attempting to improve turn performance by increasing angle of bank while maintaining airspeed, pay close attention to glider limitations due to the effects of increasing the load factor. Load factor is defined as the ratio of the load supported by the glider’s wings to the actual weight of the aircraft and its contents. A glider in stabilized, wings-level flight has a load factor of one. Load factor increases rapidly as the angle of bank increases due to increase wing loading. [Figure 3-27] With the structural design of gliders planned to withstand only a certain amount of overload, knowledge of load factors has become essential for all pilots. Load factors are important to the pilot for two distinct reasons: 

1. It is possible for a pilot to impose an obviously dangerous overload on the glider structures. 

2. Increased load factor increases the stalling speed, making stalls possible at seemingly safe flight speeds due to increased wing loading. 

In a turn at constant speed, the AOA must be increased to furnish the extra lift necessary to overcome the centrifugal force and inertia opposing the turn. As the bank angle increases, AOA must also increase to provide the required lift. The result of increasing the AOA is a stall when the critical AOA is exceeded in a turn. [Figure 3-28] 

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## Rate of Turn 

Rate of turn refers to the amount of time it takes for a glider to turn a specified number of degrees. If flown at the same airspeed and angle of bank, every glider turns at the same rate. If airspeed increases and the angle of bank remains the same, the rate of turn decreases. Conversely, a constant airspeed coupled with an angle of bank increase results in a higher rate of turn. 

## Radius of Turn 

The amount of horizontal distance an aircraft uses to complete a turn is referred to as the radius of turn. The radius of turn at any given bank angle varies directly with the square of the airspeed. Therefore, if the airspeed of the glider were doubled, 

