In flight mechanics and aerodynamics, the “Lift Coefficient” (CL) is a dimensionless parameter that represents the lift force generated by an airfoil or wing relative to the dynamic pressure of the airflow.
The lift coefficient is an essential concept in understanding the aerodynamics of flight and plays a significant role in aircraft design and performance analysis.
Cl = 2 * W / (ρ * S * V^2)
- Cl: Lift Coefficient. It is a dimensionless parameter that quantifies the lift force generated by an airfoil or wing relative to the dynamic pressure of the airflow.
- W: Weight of the aircraft. It is the force acting downward due to gravity, equal to the mass (m) of the aircraft multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity (g), i.e., W = m * g.
- ρ: Air Density. It represents the mass of air per unit volume and varies with altitude and atmospheric conditions.
- S: Reference Area. It is the planform area perpendicular to the airflow, usually taken as the wing area in the context of aerodynamic calculations.
- V: True Airspeed. It is the actual speed of the aircraft relative to the surrounding air.