Airfoil Drag Thrust 
Pilot Institute
JUNE 4, 2025
This setup makes the wing less efficient overall, but it can reduce drag, weight, and cost compared to using a separate tail. High aspect ratio wings reduce drag and improve performance during climb or slow flight. On the flipside, a decrease in aspect ratio will result in higher drag. This type of design is a reflex airfoil.
Pilot Institute
MARCH 28, 2025
The exhaust coming out of aircraft engines looks pretty dangerous, generating huge amounts of thrust and pushing back tons of hot air. When air flows over the aircraft wing, the shape of the airfoil creates low pressure above the wing and relatively higher pressure below the wing. Increased Drag Moving air around is hard work!
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Vintage Aviation News
APRIL 11, 2025
They flew a total of 313 missions, collecting invaluable data on pitch stability, lift, drag, and buffeting in transonic and supersonic flight. The jet- and rocket-powered aircraft exceeded expectations, performing better than predicted in high-speed wind tunnel testsparticularly in drag performance above Mach 0.85.
Professional Pilot
JULY 7, 2025
Every pilot knows that aircraft fly because the forces of lift and thrust balance or exceed the weight and drag countering them. Aeronautical engineers improve continually on that imbalance with better airfoils and powerplants along with aircraft designs and materials to reduce weight and drag.
Pilot Institute
JULY 11, 2025
Lift, drag, and handling correlate well with IAS in the lower atmosphere. Making the wing relatively flat on top with a blunter leading edge and more curvature on the bottom gives you a supercritical airfoil. This type of wing redirects the shockwaves further aft on the wing, reducing drag. on dry thrust alone.
Pilot Institute
APRIL 12, 2025
This principle is fundamental in generating lift, thrust, and maneuverability, allowing aircraft to fly. Thrust (how it moves forward). They are designed with a special shape called an airfoil, which encourages passing air to turn and deflect downward. That force is called thrust. Wings do just that.
Pilot Institute
JUNE 12, 2025
As you reach high speeds, especially near or above the speed of sound, you can then sweep the wings back to reduce drag. They delay the formation of shock waves that cause wave drag. But when you’re doing high-speed dashes, sweeping the wings back will reduce drag. Lower required thrust, and shorter takeoff and landing rolls.
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