Aerofoil Terminology
Types of Aerofoils
Aerofoil Devices
100
What is wingspan
The distance from wingtip to wingtip. Also includes the fuselage between the wing roots.
100
Which camber design most suitable for high speed?
low camber
100
What is vortex generator?
Little metal fins placed along the surface of a wing and create vortices the same way a wingtip does.
Will pull air from above the boundary layer down into the layer, adding energy, but also making it turbulent.
200
What is chord?
The distance from the leading edge of the wing to the trailing edge. (If the wing is not straight, this is measured as the average chord)
200
What is the DHC-6 Twin Otter famous for?
The very thick wing gives the aircraft excellent lifting capability at low speeds, resulting in the Twin Otter's famously short takeoff and landing performance.
200
What is Dihedral and Anhedral.
Dihedral tilts the wings up a bit, with the wingtips higher than the wing root. This will improve the stability of the aircraft.
Anhedral tilts the wings down a bit, with the wingtips lower than the wing root. This reduces stability and is generally used to enhance the maneuverability of an aircraft.
300
How does aspect ration impact performance?
An aircraft with a high aspect wing will create lift and minimize drag more efficiently than a low aspect wing. This will give the aircraft better fuel efficiency and range and allow safer flight at lower speeds.
A low aspect ratio can result in the aircraft being more maneuverable but will make it unsuitable for low-speed flight.
300
What type of aeroplane use symmetrical wing?
aerobatic aircraft
300
What is wing wash-out and wash-in?
The wing tip has a lower angle of incidence (AOI) than the wing root. Slightly decreases lift at the wingtips. Improves aileron control at low speeds and high angles of attack
The wingtip AOI is greater than the root. This is undesirable on aircraft as it means you have less control at low speeds and makes stalls more dangerous.
400
Draw the stall pattern of three general aviation planforms.
400
Draw the different aerofoil camber.
400
What is slots & slats?
Aerofoils used to create extra lift at high angles of attack (AOA). Allowing high pressure air from below the wing to sneak up into the boundary layer on the top surface. This energizes the boundary layer, allowing it to stay attached at high AOA.
Slats are moveable and slots are fixed.
500
What are the five wing planforms and the associated pros and cons?
tapered, rectangular and elliptical, sweptback, delta.
good low speed handling and lifting capability but are unsuitable for very high speeds and are less maneuverable. More fuel efficient.
high-speed flight and gives the aircraft good stability.
extreme maneuverability and permit supersonic flight, sometimes at the cost of being dangerously unstable
500
How does flap change the characteristic of the wing and the pro and cons?
Flaps change the chord line of the wing, effectively changing its camber.
Reduce stall speed
Allow level flight at a lower nose attitude, increasing forward visibility.
Promote engine cooling due to the lower nose attitude.
Increase your angle of climb.
The increased drag will:
Allow slower and safer landing approaches.
Allow a steeper descent profile if needed to clear obstacles.
Allow you to quickly reduce speed if needed.
Excess drag created by high flap settings will significantly reduce your takeoff and climb performance.