Originally Posted by
findark
Is a plane louder if it lands heavy? More engine thrust on approach?
I had a situation like this where we were delayed departing for DCA and so were "overweight due to the curfew" and they needed to get 12 people off the plane.
all else being equal, an aircraft would require more thrust the heavier it is since it would require a higher speed to generate the lift needed to fly.
Think of your car going up a steep hill on the highway. To maintain 55 MPH going uphill the engine needs to work harder (higher rpm). Now do that while towing a trailer behind it. The RPM's would be even higher to maintain 55 mph. More weight= harder working engine. And while an approach would need less thrust then level flight or a climb, to maintain the minimum speed a certain amount of thrust is required. Those speeds are based on the weight of the aircraft.