PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Cricket ball 'swing' and aerodynamic lift
Old 2nd Oct 2005, 13:40
  #1 (permalink)  
RJM
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Orstralia
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cricket ball 'swing' and aerodynamic lift

Please forgive the probably basic question from a non-pilot who visits this site for entertainment as well as to learn.

If one accepts that a 'swing' bowler bowls a ball in such a way that the ball moves through the air with the ball rotating along the seam in the line of flight, ie so that each side of the ball maintains its original orientation throughout the flight, and the 'swing' is sideways movement of the ball in flight due to the rough side of the ball experiencing higher pressure than the smooth or polished side,

then, why do aircraft wings not have the underside made 'furry' to increase lift?

I'm aware of the complexities of lift beyond the simplistic explanation of the air above having farther to travel etc. Still, it seems that the aerofoil wing is in some ways in the same situation as the rough and smooth sided cricket ball.

Can anyone shed some light on this?
RJM is offline