Originally Posted by
barrichello72
hi guys
just a quick question that has been bugging me - possibly cos i am overthinking it!
Why is the cl max increasing as the camber of the airfoil is increased? Does it have to do with the greater kinetic energy over the top side of the airfoil as the cross section of the stream tube is reduced in virtue of the principle of continuity, energizing the laminar flow and thus hindering its sepatarion from the airfoil and the onset of the stall?
many thanks
The complete answer is complex and depends on a lot of factors.
One SOME aircraft, leading edge devices not only increase the camber of the wing, but also introduce a slot in the leading edge which energizes the air flow over the wing. However, this is not true of all aircraft. The F-16, F-18, Mig-29 and Su-27 families have leading edge devices that are continuously variable, but do not introduce a slot in the leading edge. The leading edge devices on these fighters essentially rotate on hinges along the leading edge rather than translate on tracks embedded in the leading edge. For a complete answer to your question you need to identify the specific aircraft/wing system you are referring to.