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Geometric Angle of Attack Formula:
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The Geometric Angle of Attack is the angle between the direction of freestream velocity and the chord line of an airfoil. It represents the physical orientation of the airfoil relative to the oncoming airflow.
The calculator uses the Geometric Angle of Attack formula:
Where:
Explanation: The geometric angle of attack is the sum of the effective angle of attack and the induced angle of attack, accounting for the effects of downwash in finite wings.
Details: Accurate calculation of geometric angle of attack is crucial for aerodynamic analysis, aircraft performance prediction, and stall margin determination in aircraft design and operation.
Tips: Enter both effective angle of attack and induced angle of attack in radians. The calculator will compute the geometric angle of attack by summing these two values.
Q1: What is the difference between geometric and effective angle of attack?
A: Geometric angle of attack is the physical angle between the chord line and freestream direction, while effective angle of attack accounts for induced effects from downwash in finite wings.
Q2: Why is induced angle of attack important?
A: Induced angle of attack represents the reduction in effective angle of attack due to downwash effects, which is particularly significant in finite wings with tip vortices.
Q3: How does geometric angle of attack affect lift?
A: Geometric angle of attack directly influences the lift coefficient, with lift generally increasing with angle of attack up to the stall angle.
Q4: What are typical values for geometric angle of attack?
A: For most aircraft, geometric angle of attack ranges from -5° to 15° during normal flight operations, with stall typically occurring around 15°-20°.
Q5: How is geometric angle of attack measured in practice?
A: Geometric angle of attack can be measured using angle of attack sensors, vanes, or through flight test instrumentation that measures aircraft attitude relative to airflow.