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Lift and drag are the two components of the total aerodynamic force acting on an aerofoil or aircraft.. In aerodynamics, the lift-to-drag ratio (or L/D ratio) is the lift generated by an aerodynamic body such as an aerofoil or aircraft, divided by the aerodynamic drag caused by moving through air.
The power is equal to the drag force times velocity. For aircraft in cruise flight the lift is equal to the weight (L=mg) and the engine thrust is equal to the drag (T=D). Hence, ϵ = P / ( m g v ) = D / L = 1 / f {\displaystyle \epsilon =P/(mgv)=D/L=1/f} , with f=L/D the lift-to-drag ratio , so the specific resistance of airplanes is roughly ...
The drag curve or drag polar is the relationship between the drag on an aircraft and other variables, such as lift, the coefficient of lift, angle-of-attack or speed. It may be described by an equation or displayed as a graph (sometimes called a "polar plot"). [1] Drag may be expressed as actual drag or the coefficient of drag.
The Lanchester-Prandtl lifting-line theory [1] is a mathematical model in aerodynamics that predicts lift distribution over a three-dimensional wing from the wing's geometry. [2] The theory was expressed independently [3] by Frederick W. Lanchester in 1907, [4] and by Ludwig Prandtl in 1918–1919 [5] after working with Albert Betz and Max Munk ...
The ratio between these two coefficients is the thickness ratio: ,, The lift coefficient can be approximated using the lifting-line theory, [4] numerically calculated or measured in a wind tunnel test of a complete aircraft configuration.
The deflected or "turned" flow of air creates a resultant force on the wing in the opposite direction (Newton's third law). The resultant force is identified as lift. Flying close to a surface increases air pressure on the lower wing surface, nicknamed the "ram" or "cushion" effect, and thereby improves the aircraft lift-to-drag ratio.
The logarithmic term with weight ratios is replaced by the direct ratio between / = where is the energy per mass of the battery (e.g. 150-200 Wh/kg for Li-ion batteries), the total efficiency (typically 0.7-0.8 for batteries, motor, gearbox and propeller), / lift over drag (typically around 18), and the weight ratio / typically around 0.3.
It is used for near-supersonic flight and produces a higher lift-to-drag ratio at near supersonic flight than traditional airfoils. Supercritical airfoils employ a flattened upper surface, highly cambered (curved) aft section, and greater leading-edge radius as compared to traditional airfoil shapes. These changes delay the onset of wave drag.