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In aeronautics, downwash is the change in direction of air deflected by the aerodynamic action of an airfoil, wing, or helicopter rotor blade in motion, as part of the process of producing lift. [1] In helicopter aerodynamics discussions, it may be referred to as induced flow .
Lifting line theory supposes wings that are long and thin with negligible fuselage, akin to a thin bar (the eponymous "lifting line") of span 2s driven through the fluid. . From the Kutta–Joukowski theorem, the lift L(y) on a 2-dimensional segment of the wing at distance y from the fuselage is proportional to the circulation Γ(y) about the bar a
The upwash and downwash associated with the generation of lift is the source of aerodynamic interaction between the wing and stabilizer, which translates into a change in the effective angle of attack for each surface.
The lift generated by the wing has been tilted rearwards through an angle equal to the downwash angle in three-dimensional flow. The component of "L eff " parallel to the free stream is the induced drag on the wing.
Wingtip vortices are associated with induced drag, the imparting of downwash, and are a fundamental consequence of three-dimensional lift generation. [1]: 5.17, 8.9 Careful selection of wing geometry (in particular, wingspan), as well as of cruise conditions, are design and operational methods to minimize induced drag.
From the principles of aerodynamics, he knew that birds generate Bernoulli lift because of the upwash and downwash at the edges of their wings. He proposed that birds flying in a V formation make use of the upwash of neighboring birds to reduce induced drag, and hence conserve energy in flight. [13] [14]
where is the tail area, is the tail force coefficient, is the elevator deflection, and is the downwash angle. A canard aircraft may have its foreplane rigged at a high angle of incidence, which can be seen in a canard catapult glider from a toy store; the design puts the c.g. well forward, requiring nose-up lift.
Washout near the tips can also be used to decrease lift-induced drag, since at a lower angle of incidence, the lift produced will be lower, and thus the component of that lift which acts against thrust is reduced, however, it has been theorised by Albion H. Bowers that certain washout characteristics in the tips, that lead to a bell-shaped span ...