In flight mechanics, the “effective aspect ratio” refers to a modified or effective value of the wing’s aspect ratio that takes into account the influence of non-planar lifting surfaces, such as winglets or wingtip devices.
Ae=be^2/s
- Ae: Ae represents the efficiency factor of the aircraft wing. It is a dimensionless parameter that quantifies the effectiveness of the wing in generating lift for a given wing span and lift distribution.
- be: be is the span-loading ratio of the wing. It is defined as the ratio of the wing’s span (b) to its lift force (L). Mathematically, be is expressed as be = b / L.
- e: The variable e represents the span efficiency factor, which is a measure of how well the wing converts lift to induced drag. It is commonly used to evaluate the wing’s overall efficiency in generating lift with minimal drag. The span efficiency factor is often denoted by the letter “e” in aerodynamics and typically ranges between 0.8 and 1.0 for well-designed wings.
- s: The variable s represents the wing area, which is the total surface area of the wing, measured in square units (e.g., square meters or square feet).