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Principles of Flight Ask
Airfoils2 of 8
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Airfoils

Lift is produced when air accelerating over the curved upper surface of an airfoil drops in static pressure below the pressure acting on the lower surface.

•Camber
○Upper surface curvature
–Increases velocity of airflow
–Lowers static pressure
○Lower surface
–Flatter than the upper surface
•Chord line
○Leading edge to trailing edge
–Reference for angle of attack
Lift diagram
Pressure distribution around an airfoil