Airfoil drag in flight mechanics refers to aerodynamic resistance opposing an aircraft’s motion. It encompasses profile, induced, interference, and skin friction drag. Profile drag arises from airfoil shape, induced drag from lift generation, interference drag from component interaction, and skin friction drag from surface-air friction. Minimizing airfoil drag is vital for enhancing aircraft efficiency and performance. The formula to calculate Drag of an Airfoil as follows:
- Cd is the Drag coefficient of airfoil,
- ρ is the density in kg/m3
- V is the Aircraft velocity in m/s
- S is the reference area in m2.