Part 107 Load Factor and Density Altitude: What to Know
Last updated October 8, 2026
Load factor is the force on an aircraft’s structure divided by its weight, measured in Gs. In a coordinated level turn it rises with bank angle (2 Gs at 60 degrees), and a higher load factor raises the stalling speed. Density altitude is how high the aircraft “feels” it is: hot, high, humid air is thin, so performance drops. Loading and Performance is only 2% of the Part 107 test as of October 2026 (PSI UAG Applicant Information Bulletin, effective September 29, 2025, p. 4), so learn the handful of ideas below and move on.
The facts here come from the FAA’s Remote Pilot Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Guide, FAA-G-8082-22 (the “study guide”) and the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C (the “PHAK”). The weights come from the PSI bulletin.
How much of the test is this?
The test has 60 scored questions plus 5 unscored validation questions, and you have 120 minutes (PSI UAG Applicant Information Bulletin, p. 4). The share of items by content area, as of October 2026:
| Area | ACS code | Share of items |
|---|---|---|
| Regulations | UA.I | 48% |
| Airspace Classification and Operating Requirements | UA.II | 20% |
| Weather | UA.III | 5% |
| Loading and Performance | UA.IV | 2% |
| Operations | UA.V | 25% |
(PSI UAG Applicant Information Bulletin, p. 4.)
Two percent of 60 questions is 1.2, so expect about one Loading and Performance question. That is an estimate from the percentage, not a number the FAA publishes. Your time is better spent on the 48% Regulations block (see our Regulations topic page) and on airspace.
The Airman Certification Standards for the Remote Pilot certificate list only two knowledge items for this area: general loading and performance (effects of loading changes, balance, stability and center of gravity), and the importance and use of performance data (ACS FAA-S-ACS-10B, p. 13, UA.IV.A.K1 and K2). Load factor and density altitude are not named there, but the FAA’s study guide teaches both, chapter 3b for density altitude and chapter 4 for load factor (study guide, pp. 21-22 and 30-33). Both are fair game.
Load factor in turns
Load factor is a ratio between lift and weight, measured in Gs. A load factor of 3 means the total load on the aircraft’s structure is three times its weight (study guide, ch. 4, p. 30; PHAK, ch. 5, p. 5-33). The FAA gives two reasons it matters:
- A pilot can put a dangerous overload on the aircraft’s structure.
- A higher load factor raises the stalling speed, so a stall becomes possible at speeds that seem safe (study guide, p. 30).
In a coordinated, constant-altitude turn, the load factor depends on bank angle. The study guide says it climbs “at a terrific rate” once the bank passes about 45 or 50 degrees. Two figures to remember:
| Bank angle (coordinated, level turn) | Load factor |
|---|---|
| 60 degrees | 2 Gs |
| 80 degrees | 5.76 Gs |
(Study guide, ch. 4, p. 31; PHAK, ch. 5, p. 5-34.) The faster you fly at a given bank angle, the slower the rate of turn, which keeps the load factor the same. In other words, for a given bank, load factor does not depend on airspeed (study guide, p. 31).
Load factor and stalling speed
An aircraft’s stalling speed increases in proportion to the square root of the load factor (study guide, p. 31). The FAA’s own example: an aircraft that normally stalls at 50 knots can be stalled at 100 knots with a load factor of 4 Gs. The FAA warns about inadvertently stalling by raising the load factor, “as in a steep turn or spiral” (study guide, p. 31). It also notes the same effect in a quick pull-up or any maneuver that produces more than 1 G (study guide, p. 32).
This applies to any aircraft within the limits of its structure (study guide, p. 31).
Density altitude
Density altitude is the altitude in the standard atmosphere that matches the actual air density. It is the term the FAA uses to link aircraft performance to the real, nonstandard atmosphere (study guide, ch. 3b, p. 21; PHAK, ch. 4, p. 4-4).
The key rule is a direction: higher density altitude means thinner air and worse performance. Lower density altitude means denser air and better performance (study guide, p. 21).
| Conditions that give a HIGH density altitude (thin air, worse performance) | Conditions that give a LOW density altitude (dense air, better performance) |
|---|---|
| High elevation | Lower elevation |
| Low atmospheric pressure | High atmospheric pressure |
| High temperature | Low temperature |
| High humidity | Low humidity |
(Study guide, p. 21; PHAK, ch. 4, p. 4-4.)
In the PHAK, thinner air reduces power (the engine takes in less air), thrust (a propeller is less efficient in thin air) and lift (thin air exerts less force on the airfoils) (PHAK, ch. 4, p. 4-4).
Humidity: a small contributor
Water vapor is lighter than air, so moist air is less dense. More water in the air means a higher density altitude and lower performance. Even so, the FAA says humidity alone is usually not considered an essential factor in calculating density altitude, though it does contribute (study guide, pp. 21-22). It still appears on the list of conditions that raise density altitude.
Why pressure usually wins
Temperature and pressure both fall as you climb, and they pull density in opposite directions. The fairly rapid drop in pressure usually dominates, so density decreases with altitude (study guide, p. 21).
The standard atmosphere
Performance data is built on the International Standard Atmosphere: sea level pressure of 29.92 “Hg and a temperature of 59 degrees F (15 degrees C) (study guide, p. 22). Density altitude is pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature (PHAK, ch. 4, p. 4-4).
Weight and performance
Weight has a “very pronounced effect” on performance (study guide, ch. 3b, p. 22). More weight means a higher angle of attack to hold altitude and speed, more drag, and less reserve thrust for climbing (study guide, p. 22).
The study guide lists what excessive weight does (study guide, ch. 4, p. 33):
- Higher takeoff speed and longer takeoff run
- Reduced rate and angle of climb
- Lower maximum altitude
- Shorter range
- Reduced cruising speed
- Reduced maneuverability
- Higher stalling speed
- Higher approach and landing speed, and a longer landing roll
An overloaded aircraft may not leave the ground, and the first sign of poor performance usually shows up during takeoff (study guide, p. 33). Operating above the maximum weight limit hurts structural integrity and performance, and a center of gravity outside the approved limits causes control difficulty (study guide, p. 32).
Weight also matters for the rules. A small unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 pounds on takeoff, including everything on board or attached (14 CFR 107.3).
One worked example (hypothetical numbers)
A fixed-wing small unmanned aircraft normally stalls at 30 knots in straight, level flight. You roll into a coordinated, level 60-degree bank at constant altitude.
- At 60 degrees of bank, the load factor is 2 Gs (study guide, p. 31).
- Stalling speed rises with the square root of the load factor (study guide, p. 31).
- The square root of 2 is about 1.41, so the new stalling speed is about 30 x 1.41, or roughly 42 knots.
If you fly the turn at 35 knots, which feels comfortably above 30, you are below the stalling speed for that turn and the wing can stall. The fix is more airspeed or a shallower bank. Note that the “x 1.41” step is our arithmetic using the FAA’s rule, not a figure printed in the study guide. The FAA’s own 4 G example works the same way: the square root of 4 is 2, so 50 knots becomes 100 knots (study guide, p. 31).
A sample question in the test’s style
An aircraft that stalls at 40 knots in unaccelerated flight enters a level turn that produces a load factor of 4 Gs. Approximately what airspeed will it stall at in that turn?
- A. 40 knots
- B. 80 knots
- C. 120 knots
- D. 160 knots
Answer: B. Stalling speed rises with the square root of the load factor. The square root of 4 is 2, so 40 knots becomes 80 knots (study guide, ch. 4, p. 31).
A short study plan (about 30 minutes)
- Learn the direction rule for density altitude: hot, high and humid means thin air and worse performance.
- Memorize “60 degrees of bank = 2 Gs” and “stalling speed rises with the square root of load factor.”
- Read the list of what overweight does (study guide, p. 33) once.
- Do a few practice questions on our Loading and Performance topic page, then get back to Regulations and Airspace.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the direction. High density altitude is bad for performance, not good.
- Thinking humidity is the main driver. It contributes, but the FAA does not treat it as an essential factor on its own (study guide, p. 22).
- Thinking load factor only matters for big aircraft. The study guide teaches it for small unmanned aircraft too, and any aircraft within the limits of its structure can stall at any airspeed (study guide, p. 31).
- Over-studying. Two percent of the test does not justify hours of aerodynamics.
Common questions
Is load factor on the Part 107 test?
The ACS knowledge items for Loading and Performance do not name it (ACS FAA-S-ACS-10B, p. 13), but the FAA’s study guide covers it in chapter 4 (pp. 30-32), so it is worth knowing the basics.
What is the load factor in a 60-degree bank?
2 Gs in a coordinated, constant-altitude turn (study guide, p. 31; PHAK, ch. 5, p. 5-34).
Does a hotter day raise or lower density altitude?
Higher temperature gives a higher density altitude, which means thinner air and reduced performance (study guide, p. 21).
How many Loading and Performance questions will I get?
The PSI bulletin gives the area 2% of the items (p. 4). That works out to about one question on a 60-question test, though the FAA does not publish exact counts.
If you want to check yourself, try the free mock exam, which includes questions from every area of the test. The test format and scoring are covered in our Part 107 test format guide.