THIN AIRFOIL THEORY

1. The basic premise of the theory is that for an airfoil in a uniform flow V∞ , the airfoil
can be replaced by a vortex sheet along the chord line. The strength of the vortex sheet,
γ(x) is determined by the condition that the camber line must also be a streamline.
This leads to the following singular integral equation
1 I c γ(ξ)dξ dz
= V∞ [α − ( )]. (1)
2π 0 x − ξ dx
2. It is convenient to introduce the variables θ and θ0 ;
c
x = (1 − cosθ0 ), (2)
2
c
ξ = (1 − cosθ). (3)
2
Substituting (2, 3) into (1),

1 I π γ(θ)sinθdθ dz
= V∞ [α − ( )]. (4)
2π 0 cosθ − cosθ0 dx
Then, we assume the folowing expansion for the strength of the vortex sheet
∞
1 + cosθ X
γ(θ) = 2V∞ (A0 + An sinnθ), (5)
sinθ n=1

where A0 , A1 , A2 , . . . are constants to be determined in terms of the angle of attack α

and the slope of the camber line dz/dx.

3. Substituting (5) into (4) and noting that

1 I π cos nθdθ sin nθ0
= , (6)
π 0 cosθ − cosθ0 sinθ0
gives
∞
dz X
= (α − A0 ) + An cosnθ. (7)
dx n=1

Thus, (α − A0 ), A1 , A2 , . . . are the Fourier coefficients of dz/dx. Therefore, we have

1 Z π dz
A0 = α− dθ, (8)
π 0 dx
Z π
2 dz
An = cosnθdθ for n = 1, 2, . . . (9)
π 0 dx
(10)
4. All aerodynamic quantities can now be calculated from A0 , A1 , A2 , . . .
A1
Γ = πcV∞ (A0 + ), (11)
2
cl = π(2A0 + A1 ), (12)
π A2 cl π
cm,le = − (A0 + A1 − ) = − + (A2 − A1 ), (13)
2 2 4 4
c π
xcp = [1 + (A1 − A2 )], (14)
4 cl
π
cmac = cmc/4 = (A2 − A1 ). (15)
4