3 Airfoil Terminology Assignment

3 Airfoil Terminology
Assignment
Topics Reading Text

-Airfoil Terminology Airfoil terminology 20-22
Overview
Introduction to airfoil and wing terminology.

Airfoil Terminology – static condition
Airfoil Terminology – flight condition.
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) System
Wing terminology
Outcomes
Diagram representa-ve cambered and supersonic airfoils.
Define and diagram for a sta-c airfoil to include the chord line, mean camber line,
maximum camber, and maximum thickness for a subsonic cambered airfoil.
Differen-ate between the chord line and the mean camber line for cambered and
symmetric airfoils.
Diagram a cambered airfoil in flight showing the cambered wing shape, chord line,
rela-ve wind, flight path, angle of a@ack, total aerodynamic force, liA, drag, and center
of pressure.
Describe features of a wing including wing span, average chord loca-on, aspect ra-o,
and wing sweep.
Differen-ate between high aspect ra-o wings and low aspect ra-o wings ci-ng typical
dimensional characteris-cs of each.
Differen-ate low-speed induced drag characteris-cs between high aspect ra-o wings
and low aspect ra-o wings.
Define angle of incidence.
Introduction to airfoil and wing terminology.

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3 Mod Airfoil_Terminology.docx .docx
1/16/2021 modify REP
The term airfoil or airfoil section refers to a side view of a longitudinal wing slice.
Airfoil Section is a representation of a slice of the wing to gain

The Jet fighter below reveals internal structural components that make up the
aircraft structure and carry various loads throughout the aircraft. These structural
components will face aerodynamic loads imposed by flight thru the atmosphere and
inputs by pilot at the controls. We must manage the ultimate limits of design, handling
qualities and inputs from the pilot. As aircraft stability and component failures will
depend on aerodynamic forces.
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To understanding of the Forces, moments, pressures acting on this wing we use airfoil
sectioning .
Airfoil sections
Clark Y airfoil: Piper Aztec, Piper Cub, Aeronica Champ.
Airfoil Terminology – static condition
ANA Figure 1-10 Airfoil Terminology, p 21
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Chord line.
Camber.
Mean camber line (cambered vs. symmetric airfoil Dole figure 3.3)
Locus of points equidistant from the upper and lower surfaces.
Thickness.
Airfoil Terminology – flight condition.
ANA figure 1.10 Airfoil terminology lower annotated
Key important points to know!
Flight path velocity
Relative wind
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Angle of attack, alpha, α
Center of pressure, CP
Center of pressure (always located on the chord line)
Lift
Drag
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) airfoil numbering system
4 Digit system
Example NACA 2412
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Cessna 172, 182, and most high-wing Cessnas
C152 root (0012 tip)
*Symmetric airfoils will have first two numbers as zero, e.g., NACA 0012.
Cardinal (69 on) NACA 2415/64A215 NACA 2412/64A212
Shape changes at about the flap/aileron line.
5 Digit system
Example NACA 23012
2 = approx. max camber in % chord.
30 = position of max camber in 2/100 of c.
12 = max thickness in % of chord.
*Symmetric airfoils will have first two numbers as zero, e.g., NACA 00012.
6 Digit system
Example 652-415.
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Cadet, Warrior, Arrow, Seminole 652-415 with spar at 40% chord
The first number in all 6-digit airfoils will always be a 6.
Sometimes the third (subscript) number is omitted, e.g., 65-412.
*Symmetric airfoils will have the first number after the “-“ as a zero.
For example, the NACA 63-006 and NACA 63-012 are symmetric airfoils
in the 6-digit system. (See ANA fig. 1.12, p. 28.)
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Wing terminology:
ANA fig. 1-28, Description of wing planform.
S=bxc
c = S/b
AR = b/c
AR = b x b/S
S = wing area.
b = wing span.
c = average chord
For a rectangular wing, average chord, c, is the same throughout the wing.
For a tapered wing and tapered swept wing, average chord must be calculated or
measured.
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In either case, S=bc.
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Aspect ratio, AR
b wing span
AR = =
c chord
Since S=bc and c=S/b and 1/c=b/S, then aspect ratio is also
AR = b
2
=
(wing span )
S wing area
Aspect ratio is a number that represents the fineness ratio or “longness and thinness” of
a wing.
*Induced drag is inversely related to aspect ratio and high angles of attack/slow speed.
*Long thin wings have high aspect ratios and low induced drag at slow speed
*Short stubby wings have low aspect ratios and high induced drag at slow speed
Typical ARs:
High performance glider 25 (long, thin).
Propeller-driven trainer 6 to 8
Jet Fighter 3.5 (short, stubby).
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Calculate the Cessna 152 aspect ratio.
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Wing sweep, Λ (Greek capital letter lambda)
Angle between the line of 25 percent chords and a perpendicular to the root chord.
Wing sweep allows an aircraft to fly faster without adverse effects.
Angle of incidence
Summary
Learning Module Student AVS 2102 students (Homework module 3 Questions 1-14, on this
sheet )
Important Airfoil Terminologies
Equations to memorize
b
AR =
c.
AR = b
S .
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3 Airfoil Terminology Study Questions (v3)
1. *Draw a cambered airfoil in flight with all the features below and identify the each feature on
your drawing (ANA Figure 1-10 see the ANA text , Airfoil Terminology, p. 21).
Chord line.
Mean camber line.
Angle of attack.
Total aerodynamic force
Lift
Drag
Relative wind
Flight path
Center of pressure
2. *Sketch a subsonic symmetric airfoil, a cambered airfoil (not a Clark Y), a Clark Y airfoil,
and a supersonic airfoil.
3. *Label the following terms on the drawing (ANA fig. 1.10).
G
H 
D 
C 
F 
E 
B
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______ chordline
____H__ mean camber line
____D__ maximum camber
____C__ maximum thickness
____F__ chord length
___E___ location of maximum camber
____B__ location of maximum thickness
4. A line drawn from the leading edge to the trailing edge of an airfoil and equidistant at all
points from the upper and lower contours is called the
a. chord line
b. camber line
c. mean camber line
5. The angle between the chord line of an airfoil and the relative wind is known as the angle
of
a. lift
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b. attack
c. incidence
6. *The angle between the chord line of the wing and the longitudinal axis of the aircraft
fuselage is known as
a. dihedral
b. the angle of attack
c. the angle of incidence
7. Relate the following to the drawing:
___c___ AOA
___b___ relative wind
___d___ lift
___f___ drag
___a___ chord line
____e__ total aerodynamic force
8. T F Lift and drag forces on an airplane are always perpendicular to each other.
9. Lift produced by an airfoil is the net force developed perpendicular to the

a. chord
b. relative wind
c. longitudinal axis of the aircraft
10. *The point on an airfoil chord line where lift acts is the
a. center of gravity
b. center of pressure
c. midpoint of the chord
11. Circle the symmetric airfoil(s) as letter(s)

A. NACA 0012
B. NACA 2412
C. NACA 00012
D. NACA 23012
E. NACA 652-415
F. NACA 631-012
G. NACA 63-006 s
12. Place the correct symbol from the left column in the right column blank that best describes
the symbol.
S __a___ angle of attack
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b __^___ wing sweep angle
c __ar___ b/c or b2/S
AR __c___ average chord
Λ __b___ wing span
α __s___ wing area in square feet
13. Aspect ratio is a measure of the “longness and thinness” of a wing and is associated with
induced drag. Which of the following are true? Circle all correct answers.
a. High aspect ratio is associated with low induced drag
b. Low aspect ratio is associated with high induced drag
c. Long thin wings have high aspect ratios
d. Short, stubby wings have low aspect ratios
14. Calculate the aspect ratio of a wing with b= 34 feet and S = 160 sf. Show work.
160/34
=4.7=c
b/c=ar 34/4.7
=7.2
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3 Airfoil Terminology

Topics Reading Text

Introduction to airfoil and wing terminology.

Diagram representa-ve cambered and supersonic airfoils.

Deﬁne angle of incidence.

Introduction to airfoil and wing terminology.

Airfoil Section is a representation of a slice of the wing to gain

Clark Y airfoil: Piper Aztec, Piper Cub, Aeronica Champ.

Airfoil Terminology – static condition

ANA Figure 1-10 Airfoil Terminology, p 21

Locus of points equidistant from the upper and lower surfaces.

Airfoil Terminology – flight condition.

ANA figure 1.10 Airfoil terminology lower annotated

Key important points to know!

Flight path velocity

Center of pressure (always located on the chord line)

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) airfoil numbering system

Example NACA 2412

C152 root (0012 tip)

Cardinal (69 on) NACA 2415/64A215 NACA 2412/64A212

Shape changes at about the flap/aileron line.

Example NACA 23012

2 = approx. max camber in % chord.

30 = position of max camber in 2/100 of c.

12 = max thickness in % of chord.

The first number in all 6-digit airfoils will always be a 6.

Sometimes the third (subscript) number is omitted, e.g., 65-412.

ANA fig. 1-28, Description of wing planform.

High performance glider 25 (long, thin).

Jet Fighter 3.5 (short, stubby).

Wing sweep allows an aircraft to fly faster without adverse effects.

Important Airfoil Terminologies

3. *Label the following terms on the drawing (ANA fig. 1.10).

7. Relate the following to the drawing:

9. Lift produced by an airfoil is the net force developed perpendicular to the

11. Circle the symmetric airfoil(s) as letter(s)

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