Designer's Notebook

For an airplane to maintain steady-state level flight it must be trimmed in pitch. The airplane is trimmed when the net pitching moment acting...

In addition to stabilizing the airplane in pitch, the horizontal tail must also trim the airplane. In steady-state level flight, the airplane flies at...

The horizontal tail has two functions. It provides control power to trim and maneuver the airplane in pitch, and it stabilizes the airplane about...

The tail of the airplane performs three functions: It stabilizes the aircraft in both pitch and yaw. It provides trim. It provides control power...

A wing produces a pressure difference between its upper and lower surface. The pressure on top of the wing is lower than the pressure...

In our study of wing design, we have progressed from the inner portion and the flaps to the outer part of the span and...

The size and planform of the ailerons are set by the roll-control power needed to meet flying qualities and maneuvering requirements. Once the designer...

Last month we looked at roll control schemes for airplanes where high lift or other requirements do not leave enough room on the wing’s...

There are some situations where there isn’t enough room on the wing’s trailing edge to split the functions cleanly between an inboard flap and...

The primary function of the wing is to generate lift, but it must also incorporate control surfaces to control the airplane in roll.