Aerodynamics
Why wings work — the physics of lift, drag, and angle of attack. How pilots reason about it from takeoff roll to the flare.
How a Wing Actually Generates Lift
Streamlines, pressure differential, and Newton's third law working at the same time. The plain-language physics behind the number on the airspeed indicator.
- 02AERO-01 · 9 min readThe Four Forces of FlightLift, weight, thrust, and drag — how a wing balances them from takeoff to touchdown, with the numbers a pilot actually uses.
- 03AERO-02 · 8 min readAngle of Attack and the StallThe wing does not stall at a speed; it stalls at an angle. Why the critical angle of attack is the single most important number in aerodynamics.
- Angle of AttackWing-to-wind angle (α)
The angle between the wing's chord line and the relative wind. The wing stalls when α exceeds its critical value, regardless of airspeed or attitude.
- AirfoilWing cross-section
The two-dimensional shape of a wing seen from the side; its geometry sets the lift and drag characteristics.
- StallLift collapse at α_crit
The loss of lift that occurs when a wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, regardless of airspeed or attitude.
- Load Factorg-loading (n)
The ratio of lift to aircraft weight; a level 60° banked turn produces a load factor of 2 g.
- L/D RatioLift over drag
The dimensionless ratio of lift to drag; its maximum defines the most efficient airspeed for the airframe.
- V-SpeedsAirspeed references
The standardized airspeed markers used to fly an aircraft — V_S, V_X, V_Y, V_A, V_NO, V_NE, and others defined in the POH.