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View Full Version : Airfoil Performance Monitor for Iced Up Wings


Shawn Coyle
18th Nov 2010, 20:02
I've recently come across some information about a device that measures the quality of the airflow on the lifting surface of an airfoil. It gives an accurate measure of the margin remaining to the stall in all conditions, whether clean or contaminated, and will even work on the takeoff roll above 60 knots to tell whether the wing is contaminated or not. Also works on a horizontal stabilizer to tell how close that is to a stall.
If interested in more information, please pm me.

twochai
19th Nov 2010, 12:04
It's called 'Alpha' - Angle of attack!

SNS3Guppy
19th Nov 2010, 13:10
Ah...but AoA doesn't describe the margin of lift or margin to stall, once the airfoil has become contaminated. Stall speed changes, stall AoA changes, and the coefficient of lift of the airfoil changes...often radically. Furthermore, the stall behavior of an airframe can change substantially in the presence of ice; particularly asymmetrical icing, tailplane icing, etc...and is a function not only of ice buildup, but location, roughness (airflow separation), etc.

I'm certainly interested in the device, but curious why you introduce the topic publicly, then wish to reveal it by private message. You introduced it here, by all means, present it here.