Aerospace/Aviation/Aerodynamics

Advertisement

Expert: - 1/29/2011


Question

boeing 737-800
Sir,last month i had to flew to some other city in India.
I boarded boeing 737-800.when I sat on the window seat I saw that both the wings are curved at there edges.I am still confused that why the wings are curved.Is it for creating additional lift or something else.Please clarify.
Thank You

Answer
If I'm understanding you correctly, you noticed the wings curved at the tips...   those are called winglets and they are there to reduce a type of drag called induced drag.  Basically a vortex is forming at the wing tips and the winglet reduces the strength of that vortex...  the energy associated with the air spinning in the vortex ultimately has to come from the engines, so reducing their strength improves efficiency

Hope this helps,
mj

Mark Janus

Expertise

I can answer questions regarding aerodynamics, fluid flow, and computational simulations.

Experience

turbomachinery flow analysis, computational fluid dynamics

Organizations
Mississippi State University

AIAA

SIAM

Publications
AIAA SIAM

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.