AERODYNAMICS – SHORT ANSWERS – TERMINOLOGY AND LIFT

1. Define the following:

a. dihedral
b. anhedral
c. gross wing area
d. net wing area

2. If the wingspan of an aircraft is 12m and the average chord is 2m what is the:

a. gross wing area

b. aspect ratio

3. What shape of wing aerofoil gives high lift at low speeds?

4. Draw a typical asymmetrical aerofoil and show the following:

a. The chord line

b. Mean camber line
c. Maximum camber
d. Maximum thickness
e. Leading and trailing edge

5. Draw the same aerofoil with lines to represent the airflow around it. Show the following:

a. stagnation point
b. upwash
c. downwash

6. Briefly describe the changes in velocity and pressure over a symmetrical aerofoil at zero
angle of attack.

7. What occurs if the same aerofoil is given a positive angle of attack?

8. What is the ‘zero lift angle’ of most asymmetrical aerofoils?

9. What happens to the centre of pressure of an asymmetrical aerofoil with an increase in

angle of attack?

10. What is the formula for lift?

11. What is the relationship between lift and angle of attack (AOA) between approximately -2
and approximately 12 degrees AOA for an asymmetrical aerofoil?

12. Explain briefly how the following devices augment lift of a wing:

a. Leading edge slats

b. Krueger flaps
c. Plain flap
d. Extension (Fowler) flap.

13. What is the main disadvantage of deploying extension flaps? List two ways of
overcoming this?