High-Speed Flow Over Airfoils, Wings, and Airplane Configurations

Progress in future aeronautics depends purely on the new understandings of flow physics coupled with the interactions of various tools and disciplines. Emerging numerical computing tools and experimental aptitudes play a key role in the technological progress of aeronautical studies. This chapter presents an insight on the air foils, three-dimensional geometries attached to an airplane with an emphasis on computational tools. A countless number of small and large steps have taken place over many other disciplines. Design evolution has resulted in many geometrical changes in air foils, wings, fuselages, and stabilizers come in a whole range of shapes and sizes, both in the aerospace industry and in nature – really, nothing is standard. The application the airfoil operates and dictates its shape and size. Finite wing and infinite wing shapes are still sprouting today, driving the new challenging flight conditions. More efficient flights will drive the new and intelligent wing designs to obtain better load factor and reduced drag.