Which of the following is NOT a type of drag considered in rotorcraft analysis?

• A. Induced drag
• B. Profile drag
• C. Parasite drag
• D. Total lift

Answer: (D)

The main idea is how drag is categorized in rotorcraft analysis. Drag is split into induced drag, profile drag, and parasite drag, each arising from different physical sources: induced drag comes from the rotor’s lift generation and the downwash it creates, profile drag comes from the blade’s shape and skin friction as it moves through air, and parasite drag comes from non-lifting components like the airframe and gearboxes.

Total lift, by contrast, is the overall upward aerodynamic force produced by the rotor. It is not a category of drag; it’s a lifting force. In rotorcraft performance work, you analyze the drag components that resist motion (induced, profile, parasite) separately from lift itself, which is what balances weight.

So total lift isn’t a type of drag, which is why it’s the correct choice for “NOT a type of drag.”