Explore: Wing Planforms

The wing configuration or planform of a fixed-wing aircraft (including both gliders and powered aeroplanes) is its arrangement of lifting and related surfaces

spanwise distribution across the wing. There is no inherent superiority to pure elliptical shapes and wings with other planforms can be optimized to give elliptical

A delta wing is a wing shaped in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta (Δ). Although long

In aeronautics, a trapezoidal wing is a straight-edged and tapered wing planform. It may have any aspect ratio and may or may not be swept. The thin, unswept

A circular wing is a disc-shaped wing having the outer planform of a circle. If the aircraft has no fuselage or tail the disc-shaped craft is sometimes

"Speed Record Again Broken?" Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 25 September 1953. "Wing Planforms for High-Speed Flight." NACA TN-1033. Retrieved: July 24, 2011. Von

proved to have unacceptably poor flight characteristics due to serious wing planform and fuselage design flaws. A large-scale operational testing program

wingtip, at the edge of flap devices, or at other abrupt changes in wing planform. Wingtip vortices are associated with induced drag, the imparting of

wide wing has a low aspect ratio. Aspect ratio and other features of the planform are often used to predict the aerodynamic efficiency of a wing because

wash-out, reducing the angle of attack towards the wing tips, together with a swept-back wing planform. The Dunne D.5 incorporated this principle and its