✈️Parasitic drag increases with the square of the airspeed, while induced drag, being a function of lift, is greatest when the maximum lift is being developed, usually at low speeds. ... ✈️The diagram below shows the relationship of parasitic drag and induced drag to each other and to total drag. ... ✈️There is an airspeed at which total drag is minimum., and in theory, this is the maximum range speed; however, flight at this speed is unstable because of a small decrease in speed results in an increase in drag, and a further fall in speed. The further decrease in speed causes yet more drag and, without the addition of thrust or initiation of a descent, could result in a stall or Loss of Control. In practice, for stable flight, maximum range is achieved at a speed a little above the minimum drag speed where a small speed decrease results in a reduction in drag.
