Airfoil Nomenclature Explained

An airfoil is a shape designed to produce lift when moved through a fluid, such as air. The nomenclature of an airfoil includes several key features, including:

Leading Edge: The front edge of the airfoil that first encounters the airflow.

Trailing Edge: The rear edge of the airfoil that is last to leave the airflow.

Chord Line: A line connecting the leading and trailing edges of the airfoil, typically used as a reference for measuring other dimensions.

Camber: The curved shape of the airfoil, typically measured as the maximum distance between the chord line and the mean camber line (the line that bisects the camber).

Thickness: The distance between the upper and lower surfaces of the airfoil, typically measured at the maximum thickness point.

Mean Line: An imaginary line that runs along the average of the upper and lower surfaces of the airfoil.

Leading edge radius: The radius of the circular arc at the leading edge of the airfoil.

Maximum thickness point: The point on the airfoil where the thickness is maximum.

Maximum camber point: The point on the airfoil where the camber is maximum.

Maximum camber point: The point on the airfoil where the camber is maximum.

Maximum lift point: The point on the airfoil where the lift is maximum.

Maximum drag point: The point on the airfoil where the drag is maximum.

Maximum lift coefficient: The lift coefficient of the airfoil when the lift is maximum.

Maximum drag coefficient: The drag coefficient of the airfoil when the drag is maximum.