What happens to induced drag as velocity increases?

Induced drag is a component of drag that is associated with the generation of lift. It occurs due to the differences in pressure above and below the wings, which causes air to flow from the high-pressure area below the wing to the low-pressure area above, creating vortices. As the velocity of the aircraft increases, a few key changes happen that influence induced drag.

At higher speeds, the angle of attack required to maintain lift decreases. This reduction in angle of attack diminishes the strength of the vortices formed at the wingtips, which directly reduces induced drag. Induced drag is inversely related to the square of the velocity—meaning that as velocity doubles, the induced drag decreases by a factor of four, assuming all other factors remain constant.

This relationship highlights why induced drag decreases as the velocity increases. Pilots can understand this concept to optimize flight performance, particularly during climb and cruise phases, where managing speed and lift efficiently is crucial for fuel economy and aircraft handling.