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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
If the thrust line of an aircraft does not pass through the centre of gravity, the offset will introduce a pitching moment whose variation with speed and incidence perturbations will affect the stability characteristics of the aeroplane. Both Duncan and Etkin discussed the influence of the propulsive system on longitudinal static stability, but Duncan's analysis for an offset thrust line is not correct and Etkin restricted consideration of thrust effects on static stability to angle-of-attack disturbances at constant speed. The following remarks have been written, therefore, to clarify the effect of an offset thrust line on an aeroplane's static stability. Consideration is first given to what is meant by static stability, and then the part played by the thrust term is examined.