Re: REPLY TO ALL--Misconceptions:Airfoil

[phrp@bigcat.fhsu.edu (Roger Pruitt)]

William Beaty wrote:
> I think low-speed airfoils demonstrate the deflection of air more clearly
> than high-speed airfoils.  Low speed airfoils have large camber, and their
> trailing edges are at an obvious angle with respect to direction of
> flight.  At high speed, sufficient lift arises even from tiny camber or
> tiny attack angle.
You say, "I think." Do you know these things for a fact? I don't fly,
but I have been told by pilots that a properly trimmed light plane
should fly in a slightly nose down attitude with a zero angle of attack
of the wings. I agree if there is a slight attack angle then the change
of momentum of air striking the lower surface of the wing might be
significant. 

I heard Weltner present his talk at the Washington D.C. meeting years
ago and have been puzzling over this topic since.

Roger

-- 

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|  Roger A. Pruitt, PhD        |
|  Department of Physics       |
|  Fort Hays State University  |
|  Hays, KS  67601             |
|  Ph. (785) 628-5357          |
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