The angle of attack (AOA) in aircraft design refers to the angle between the oncoming air and the chord line of an airfoil (such as a wing or blade). It’s a crucial parameter that affects the lift and drag characteristics of the airfoil and, consequently, the aircraft’s performance.The formula to calculate the angle of attack is as follows:
- AOA is the angle of attack in radians (rad).
- V is the velocity of the aircraft relative to the air in meters per second (m/s).
- α (alpha) is the angle between the chord line of the airfoil and the oncoming air in radians (rad).