Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

Use of Reflex Airfoils Ever notice how many tailless aircraft have wings that curve at the trailing edge? This type of design is a reflex airfoil. The reflexed shape of the airfoil usually causes a positive (nose-up) pitching moment coefficient at its aerodynamic center. Flying wings dont have tails or elevators.

Tail 52

Tail Airplanes Weight-Shift-Control Drag 52

Pilot Institute

JUNE 12, 2025

You can adjust the wings using a manual control in the cockpit. Another tradeoff that you need to juggle is payload vs range. For the F-111 and many other similar aircraft, the range decreases as the payload gets heavier. But to give you a general idea, let’s look at the F-111 aircraft as an example.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control Drag Lift Payload 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

The airfoil is a Harry Riblett shape, giving modernized flow separation on the leading edge for a soft stall yet with good lift and drag performance. After squeezing through the landing gear houses I settled into the right seat for our evaluation flights because frankly, this is a complex airplane with a complex cockpit.

Airplanes 79

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 79