Wiktionary
n. (context aeronautics English) A generic term describing any aerodynamic effects occurring due to a vehicle's body or appendages moving in close proximity to the ground.
WordNet
n. apparent increase in aerodynamic lift experienced by an aircraft flying close to the ground
Wikipedia
In fixed-wing aircraft, ground effect is the increased lift (force) and decreased aerodynamic drag that an aircraft's wings generate when they are close to a fixed surface. When landing, ground effect can give the pilot the feeling that the aircraft is "floating". When taking off, ground effect may temporarily reduce the stall speed. The pilot can then fly level just above the runway while the aircraft accelerates in ground effect until a safe climb speed is reached.
Ground effect is a term applied to a series of aerodynamic effects used in car design, which has been exploited to create downforce, particularly in racing cars. This has been the successor to the earlier dominant aerodynamic theory of streamlining. American racing IndyCars employ ground effects in their car's engineering and designs, similarly they are also employed in other racing series' to some extent, however Formula One for example, as well as most other racing series, primarily across Europe, use design constraints and restrictions due to specific regulations (or complete bans) which affects and limits its effectiveness.
Ground effect may refer to:
- Ground effect (aerodynamics), the increased lift and decreased aerodynamic drag of a wing close to a fixed surface
- Ground effect (cars), an effect that creates downforce, primarily in racing cars
- Ground effect vehicle, a vehicle which attains level flight near the surface of the Earth due to ground effect
- Ground effect train, an alternative to a magnetic levitation train, using ground effect in aircraft to prevent the vehicle from making contact with the ground
ca:Efecte terra de:Bodeneffekt el:Αρχή επίδρασης του εδάφους es:Efecto suelo fr:Effet de sol ja:地面効果 lt:Ekrano efektas pl:Efekt przypowierzchniowy pt:Efeito Solo ru:Экранный эффект
Usage examples of "ground effect".
A driver was hunched over the control yoke, and as soon as the door spun shut he gunned the vehicle forward with a weaving movement that told Hamid-Jones he was in a ground effect machine, one whose compressors and fans were powerful enough to lift it from zero and set it going in seconds.
He had to have speed to climb, speed to bank away from the tower, speed to get out of ground effect.
The ground effect of our rebounding exhaust rocked the Oriflanune violently from side to side.