Aircraft Design Calculator

Profile drag, also known as skin friction drag, is a type of drag that results from the frictional resistance between the aircraft’s surfaces and the airflow as it moves over those surfaces. It encompasses both form drag and skin friction drag and represents the drag produced by the aircraft’s individual components when isolated from other […]

Skin friction drag is a component of parasite drag in aircraft design that results from the resistance of air molecules as they rub against the surface of an aircraft’s components, such as the fuselage and wings. This type of drag is related to the frictional forces between the moving air and the aircraft’s surfaces. Formula:

Form Drag also known as pressure drag, is a component of parasite drag in aircraft design. It arises from the pressure difference between the front and rear sides of an object as air flows around it. Form drag occurs due to the shape, size, and orientation of the object and is an important consideration in

Parasite Drag is a type of aerodynamic drag experienced by an aircraft due to various non-lift-producing components, such as the fuselage, landing gear, and other protruding structures. It’s one of the two primary components of total drag in aircraft design, the other being induced drag. Formula: The formula for parasite drag (Dp) is often expressed

Induced Drag is a type of aerodynamic drag experienced by an aircraft as a result of the production of lift. It’s associated with the creation of wingtip vortices and is a fundamental concept in aircraft design and performance analysis. Formula: The formula for induced drag (Di) is given by: Di is the induced drag (in

The vertical location of a wing in an aircraft design, often referred to as the wing’s vertical position or wing placement, is a critical parameter that affects the aircraft’s overall aerodynamics, stability, and performance. It is primarily described in terms of its height or vertical distance from the aircraft’s centerline or fuselage. Formula: The vertical

Wing Incidence often referred to as the angle of incidence, is a fundamental parameter in aircraft design. It’s the angle between the chord line of the wing (an imaginary straight line connecting the leading and trailing edges of the wing) and the longitudinal axis (centerline) of the aircraft. The angle of incidence helps determine the

The Choice of Twist Calculator in aircraft wing design, often referred to as wing twist or washout, is a crucial decision that affects an aircraft’s aerodynamic performance and stability. Wing twist refers to the variation in the angle of incidence along the span of the wing, with the root (near the fuselage) having a different

The choice of taper ratio in aircraft wing design is a critical decision that affects the aerodynamic performance and structural characteristics of the wings. The taper ratio is defined as the ratio of the wing’s root chord (the chord length at the wing’s base) to its tip chord (the chord length at the wing’s tip).

Brake Horsepower (BHP) is a measure of an engine’s power output, specifically the power delivered to the output shaft or propeller. It’s a critical parameter in understanding an engine’s performance. Formula: The formula for Brake Horsepower (BHP) is relatively straightforward: BHP is the Brake Horsepower (in horsepower, hp). T is the torque produced by the