Wing Flaps
 In
aviation the most important part of a flight is the landing. Because
a runway can only be so long engineers have developed something to help an
aircraft slowdown. Flaps are an essential part of any airplane. When
a plane is ready to land it will lower its flaps. This action does 2
things: it increases the area of the wing creating greater lift and it
creates more drags slowing the plane down. Since the wings are
traveling slower through the air they produce less lift as shown in the
previous equation. The increase in area counteracts this. In
the picture above the slats in front of the wing give it greater camber
which also produces more lift. This whole operation on increased drag and
increased lift allows a plane to fly slow enough for a smooth landing. |
