Wing Design

Question 1

How is induced drag minimised?

Answer 1

Having a high aspect ratio as weaker vortecies will develop

Question 2

Considerations for an efficient wing

Answer 2

• Safety
• High speed flight
• Practicallity
• Cost

Question 3

Strength of vorticies along the chord

Answer 3

Get stronger from root to tip due to a pressure gradient

Question 4

What happens when the effective AoA gets too big?

Answer 4

The wing will stall

Question 5

Which part of the wing will stall first?

Answer 5

Where vorticies are the weakest

Question 6

Chord length of rectangular wing

Answer 6

Constant chord along the span

Question 7

Where is the vortex weakest in a rectangular wing?

Answer 7

Root

Question 8

Overall strength of vorticies in a rectangular wing

Answer 8

Strong, therefore inefficient

Question 9

What is a buffet?

Answer 9

• Turbulent airflow from the wing hits the horizontal stabiliser
• This connected to the control column, causing it to rattle as a pre-stall warning

Question 10

Vortex strength in a tapered wing

Answer 10

• Weakest at the mid span (stalls first)
• Strongest at the tip

Question 11

Chord length of an elliptical wing

Answer 11

Mathematically varied to perfectly offset any increase in vortex strength

Question 12

Strengths of vorticies in an elliptical wing

Answer 12

• Weak & consistent
• The whole wing stalls first

Question 13

Why is the elliptical wing seen to be efficient?

Answer 13

Weak and consistent vorticies = less drag

Question 14

Vortex strength in a swept wing

Answer 14

• Stronger at the root
• Weakest at the tip (stalls first)

Question 15

What happens to the Center of pressure when the wing stalls?

Answer 15

Moves inwards and forwards

Question 16

How do we prevent stalling at the tip?

Answer 16

Reducing AoA at the tip