Where:
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L = Lift expressed in pounds, etc.
CL = Lift Coefficient (dimensionless)
Sw = Wing Area (square feet)
q = Dynamic Pressure (the lowercase "q" stands for "quick")
Dad worked for Lockheed for over 35 years as an Aeronautical Weight Engineer. He worked in Lockheed's infamous Skunkworks on numerous highly secret projects. So he never spoke about his job. As a child, when I asked him what he did, he replied "I measure parts of planes mathematically before they're built so that when they take off they'll fly."
This is a formula he would have used in his work and, in a sense, represents a good part of his life.
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