Wing Configuration - Minor Aerodynamic Surfaces

Minor Aerodynamic Surfaces


Moustache, chines and winglets

Aircraft may have additional minor aerodynamic surfaces. Some of these are treated as part of the overall wing configuration:

  • Winglet - a small vertical fin at the wingtip, usually turned upwards. Reduces the size of vortices shed by the wingtip, and hence also tip drag.
  • Strake - a small surface, typically longer than it is wide and mounted on the fuselage. Strakes may be located at various positions in order to improve aerodynamic behaviour. Leading edge root extensions (LERX) are also sometimes referred to as wing strakes.
  • Chine - long, narrow sideways extension to the fuselage, blending into the main wing. As well as improving low speed (high angle of attack) handling, provides extra lift at supersonic speeds for minimal increase in drag. Seen on the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
  • Moustache - small high-aspect-ratio canard surface having no movable control surface. Typically is retractable for high speed flight. Deflects air downward onto the wing root, to delay the stall. Seen on the Dassault Milan and Tupolev Tu-144.

Read more about this topic:  Wing Configuration

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