INTRODUCTION TO

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

1.Classification of Aircraft Based on Wings

2.Airfoil
Many different types of wings are possible
based on:

• Wing span

• Wing surface

• Aspect Ratio

• Taper

• Sweep angle

• Dihedral

• Chord (root and

tip)

• Winglet
Many different types of wings are possible
based on:

• Wing span

• Wing surface

• Taper
• Sweep angle
b
• Dihedral

• Aspect ratio

• Winglet
Many different types of wings are possible
based on:

• Wing span

• Wing surface

• Taper

• Sweep angle

• Dihedral S = wing span x chord length

• Aspect ratio = bc

• Winglet
The side of the wing which is attached
to the fuselage is known as wing root.
The side of the wing which is not attached
to the fuselage is known as wing tip.
Chord length of the root portion of the
wing is called root chord.

C
root
Chord length of the tip portion of the
wing is called tip chord.
C
tip
Many different types of wings are possible
based on:

• Wing span
• Wing surface C >C
root tip

• Taper

• Sweep angle

• Dihedral

• Aspect ratio
C =C
• Winglet root tip
 θ
Many different types of wings are possible sweep
based on:

• Wing span

• Wing surface

• Taper

• Sweep angle

• Dihedral

• Aspect ratio

• Winglet
Many different types of wings are possible
based on:

• Wing span

• Wing surface
θ
dihedra
• Taper l

• Sweep angle

• Dihedral

• Aspect ratio

• Winglet
Many different types of wings are possible
based on:

• Wing span

• Wing surface

• Taper

• Sweep angle

• Dihedral
• Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a wing is the ratio of its span to its
mean
• Winglet
chord.
AR = b/c = b.b/b.c = b2/bc = span2/wing area
Many different types of wings are possible
based on:

• Wing span

• Wing surface

• Taper

• Sweep angle

• Dihedral

• Aspect ratio

• Winglet
Based on Wing Planform:
Based on tapered wing:
Based on aspect ratio:
Based on Wing sweep
angle:
Based on dihedral angle and
wing position:
Based on Tail Plane:
A cut through the wing perpendicular to the
leading and trailing edges will show the
cross- section of the wing.

This cross-section is called an airfoil, and

it has some geometry definitions of its
own.

An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil

(British English) is a streamlined body
which when set at a suitable angle to
relative airflow is capable of generating
significantly more lift than drag.
A cut through the wing perpendicular to the
leading and trailing edges will show the
cross- section of the wing.

This cross-section is called an airfoil, and

it has some geometry definitions of its
own.

An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil

(British English) is a streamlined body
which when set at a suitable angle to
relative airflow is capable of generating
significantly more lift than drag.
AIRFOIL TERMINOLOGIES

Upper Camber

Mean Camber
Line
Leading
Edge
Trailing
Edge

Relative Wind

Angle of
Attack Lower Chord
Camber Line
AIRFOIL TERMINOLOGIES
The Mean Camber Line is a line drawn midway between the upper and lower
surfaces.

The Chord Line is a straight line connecting the leading edge and trailing edge of the
airfoil.

The Chord is the length of the chord line.

The Maximum Thickness is the maximum distance between camber line and chord
line and the location of maximum thickness are expressed as a percentage of the
chord.

Camber is the asymmetry between the top and the bottom curves of an airfoil.

Angle of Attack (AOA, α) is a term used in aerodynamics to describe the angle

between the chord line of an airfoil and the relative motion between the airfoil and
the air.
AIRFOIL TERMINOLOGIES

Upper Camber

Mean Camber
Line
Leading
Edge
Trailing
Edge

Relative Wind

Angle of
Attack Lower Chord
Camber Line
TYPES OF AIRFOIL

There are two types of airfoils,

Symmetric Airfoil Asymmetric Airfoil

 TYPES OF AIRFOIL
Asymmetric airfoil can be in two types:

► Positive cambered Airfoil

► Negative cambered Airfoil
Airfoils can be named/numbered as per their shapes.
There are several sets of standardized airfoil shapes
developed by several agencies.

Commonly used airfoil is NACA (National Advisory

Committee for Aeronautics) 4 digits, 5 digits and 6
digits series.

Other: RAE (Royal Aircraft Establishment)

4 digit – NACA 2412

Example: 5 Digit – NACA 23018

6 Digit – NACA 623158

First digit describing maximum camber as percentage
of the chord.

Second digit describing the distance of maximum

camber from the airfoil leading edge in tenths of the
chord.

Last two digits describing maximum thickness of the

airfoil as percent of the chord.

Example: NACA 2412

Airfoil has a maximum camber of 2% located 40% (0.4 chords) from the leading edge with a
maximum thickness of 12% of the chord.
Draw a NACA 2412 aerofoil with 10
inch chord length.

Solution:
Maximum camber = 2/100 x 10 inch = 0.2 inch

Location= 40/100 x 10 inch = 4 inch

maximum thickness = 12/100 x 10 inch = 1.2 inch

Example: NACA 0018

Aerofoil has maximum camber of 0% of

chord length
Located 0% of the chord length from
airfoil leading edge.
Aerofoil has maximum thickness of 18%
of chord length (0.18c)

What about NACA 0015?

*NACA 4-digit series starting with 00 indicates Symmetrical Airfoil*.

NACA AIRFOIL NUMBERING: 5-DIGIT
 NACA AIRFOIL NUMBERING: 5-DIGIT

Example: NACA 23012

• 2: The design lift coefficient = 2 x 0.15= 0.3

• 3: The distance of camber from leading edge= 3 x 3 % of chord = 9% of chord length
• 0: Camber is simple
• 12: Maximum Thickness is 12 % of chord length

NACA Airfoil Generator and Visualization Toolbox : NACA 4 digit airfoil generator (NACA 2412
AIRFOIL) (airfoiltools.com)