PHAK 5-21

Elliptical wing Regular wing Moderate taper wing High taper wing Pointed tip wing Sweepback wing Figure 5-33. Different types of wing planforms. aerodynamic characteristics of the wing. The first is to effect a change in the aspect ratio. Aspect ratio is the primary factor in determining the three dimensional characteristics of the ordinary wing and its lift/drag ratio. An increase in aspect ratio with constant velocity will decrease the drag, especially at high angles of attack, improving the performance of the wing when in a climbing attitude. A decrease in aspect ratio will give a corresponding increase in drag. It should be noted, however, that with an increase in aspect ratio there is an increase in the length of span, with a corresponding increase in the weight of the wing structure, which means the wing must be heavier to carry the same load. For this reason, part of the gain (due to a decrease in drag) is lost because of the increased weight, and a compromise in