Linked Questions
31 questions linked to/from How does chord length affect wing design?
57
votes
6
answers
15k
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Is a winglet better than an equal span extension?
Is there indisputable evidence that a winglet improves performance over an equal span extension? Please note: I am only interested in L/D improvements.
Winglets do improve roll performance, that is ...
- 21
16
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Why are fighter jets so loud when doing slow flight?
Going to air shows I noticed that when fighter jets did slow fight, it was just as loud as high speed passes. Why is this?
- 51.6k
12
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What is the aerodynamic benefit of trailing edge sweep?
Sweep will allow flight at higher speed because the perpendicular air flow speed (over wing) is less.
But why is there trailing edge sweep?
We can have a swept leading edge and unswept trailing edge ...
- 6,281
0
votes
1
answer
266
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Is it better to reduce drag or increase lift?
Essentially my question is, in general is it better to have a lower drag or a larger lift. I know lift to drag ratios are used as an indicator but I think these don't give the best picture. For ...
- 225k
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What's the theoretical background of the critical angle of attack?
The critical angle of attack seems to be at all (most?) airfoils around 15-20°. Why is that? Why is it in this range and not lower or higher? Is it just the result of optimizing airfoils? Or is it ...
- 225k
1
vote
3
answers
3k
views
How does aspect ratio affect the stalling angle of the wing?
I have been trying to find a clear answer for this but haven't been able to do so. From what I understand this is linked to induced drag but I'm not able to link it.
Could someone shed some light on ...
- 225k
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Are high lift wings bad for faster speeds
I notice a trend in many aircraft designs. If the aircraft was designed to go slowly but have shorter takeoffs/landings they use airfoils with a high lift.
However for long endurance flights they use ...
- 225k
3
votes
2
answers
306
views
Are larger airplanes more likely to stall?
Stalls happen when the boundary layer on top of a wing slows so much that it essentially becomes part of the airfoil.
My question is, as the wings on larger aircraft present a longer flow path for ...
- 45.3k
25
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Why are heavy flaps better than just a bigger wing?
Flaps increase lift during landing and T/O. But when retracted, they do nothing. The space needed to stow the common fowler flaps can't be used for anything else - fuel or structure. Extended flaps ...
- 225k
9
votes
1
answer
6k
views
How can I calculate the rolling moment of an aileron for a given plane based on its performance?
Let's say I have an already-built airplane with known basic characteristics like weight, wing span and wing surface, and I can measure the time of all possible manoeuvres at different speeds.
How ...
- 225k
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is there a parameter that links the areas of the fuselage and control surfaces? [closed]
Do aircraft designers look at the ratio of how much fuselage surface area can be loaded onto a given unit of wing and tail surface area including elevator, aileron, rudder etc? (Possibly, the surfaces ...
CommunityBot
- 1
16
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How would an Inverted Delta Wing planform behave, Straight part forward? Are there wings shaped this way?
There is info about straight edge wings, swept back wings, swept forward wings, delta wings.
Is there also info about a Delta wing with a straight leading edge and a tapered trailing edge, the point ...
- 9,909
14
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Do some light sport aircraft have clipped wings to lower their cruise speed?
Light sport aircraft may have a max airspeed in level flight at MCP of 120kts. I have heard that there are some light sport aircraft that have had their wings clipped in order to have a lower cruise ...
- 71k
2
votes
1
answer
259
views
What is the drag optimized wing form for given lift and bending moment?
I am trying to build a passive hydrofoil board.
Something like this:
I want to use wood and i am coming to the conclusion that i want to optimize drag for a given ...
- 225k
21
votes
3
answers
20k
views
What dictates the aspect ratio of an aircraft's wing?
When designing an aircraft, there has to be a decision as to the aspect ratio of a wing. It's been said that having a higher aspect wing will reduce drag for the same wing area, however most of the ...
- 225k