What is induced drag primarily associated with?

Induced drag is primarily associated with higher angles of attack. As an aircraft's angle of attack increases, the lift generated by the wings also increases; however, this comes with an increase in induced drag as a byproduct. Induced drag is a consequence of the lift-generating process. When air flows over the wings at higher angles of attack, the circulation around the wings leads to the formation of vortices at the wingtips, which increases drag.

This relationship illustrates that as the angle of attack rises, the airflow creates more lift, but this also leads to the increased creation of vortices, resulting in more induced drag. Understanding this connection is crucial for pilots and engineers when considering aircraft performance during different phases of flight, especially during takeoff and landing when the angles of attack are generally higher.