Ground Effect
What is ground effect?
Ground effect is a reduction in induced drag that occurs when an aircraft is flying very close to the surface—within about one wingspan (or one rotor diameter for helicopters) of the ground. The ground interferes with the downward and outward airflow off the wing or rotor blades, which restricts the formation of wingtip (or blade tip) vortices and lets more of the surface produce lift. Think of it as the cushion of air near the ground that makes you feel like you're "floating," which is why an airplane may seem to balloon or float during landing.
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