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  2. Lift-to-drag ratio - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lift-to-drag_ratio

    Most importantly, the maximum lift-to-drag ratio is independent of the weight of the aircraft, the area of the wing, or the wing loading. It can be shown that two main drivers of maximum lift-to-drag ratio for a fixed wing aircraft are wingspan and total wetted area. One method for estimating the zero-lift drag coefficient of an aircraft is the ...

  3. Wing loading - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_loading

    By increasing the wing loading the average speed achieved across country can be increased to take advantage of strong thermals. With a higher wing loading, a given lift-to-drag ratio is achieved at a higher airspeed than with a lower wing loading, and this allows a faster average speed across country. The ballast can be ejected overboard when ...

  4. Wing-shape optimization - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing-shape_optimization

    An example of an optimization proof of concept was done in 2003 by Leoviriyakit using the Boeing 747-200. [4] Using the variable list above, he optimized for only a single point – a lift coefficient of 0.42 and a speed of Mach 0.87, just above cruising.

  5. Fixed-wing aircraft - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-wing_aircraft

    The Boeing 747 was the world's largest ... The highest lift-to-drag ratio ... Early airframes were made of wood with fabric wing surfaces, When engines became ...

  6. Gliding flight - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliding_flight

    The lift-to-drag ratio, or L/D ratio, is the amount of lift generated by a wing or vehicle, divided by the drag it creates by moving through the air. A higher or more favourable L/D ratio is typically one of the major goals in aircraft design; since a particular aircraft's needed lift is set by its weight, delivering that lift with lower drag ...

  7. Boeing 747 - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747

    The Boeing 747 is a large, wide-body (two-aisle) airliner with four wing-mounted engines. Its wings have a high sweep angle of 37.5° for a fast, efficient cruise speed [ 21 ] of Mach 0.84 to 0.88, depending on the variant.

  8. Thrust-to-weight ratio - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrust-to-weight_ratio

    Aircraft with thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 1:1 can pitch straight up and maintain airspeed until performance decreases at higher altitude. [3] A plane can take off even if the thrust is less than its weight as, unlike a rocket, the lifting force is produced by lift from the wings, not directly by thrust from the engine.

  9. Wingtip device - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingtip_device

    Like winglets, they increase the effective wing aspect ratio and diminish wingtip vortices, decreasing lift-induced drag. In testing by Boeing and NASA, they reduce drag by as much as 5.5%, compared to 3.5% to 4.5% for conventional winglets. [1] While an increase in span would be more effective than a same-length winglet, its bending moment is ...