This coefficient represents the overall zero-lift drag of the entire aircraft, including contributions from both the wing and the body (fuselage). It characterizes the inherent drag of the aircraft when it is at zero angle of attack (not generating lift) and is in level, unaccelerated flight.
- : This represents the total zero-lift drag coefficient of the entire aircraft, including both the wing and body. It’s a measure of the overall drag of the aircraft when it is not generating lift (zero angle of attack).
- : This is the zero-lift drag coefficient of the wing alone. It represents the drag contribution of the wing when it’s not producing lift. It’s often referred to as the wing’s parasitic drag coefficient.
- : This is the zero-lift drag coefficient of the body (fuselage) of the aircraft. It represents the drag contribution of the body when it’s not producing lift. It’s often referred to as the body’s parasitic drag coefficient.
- : This is the reference area of the body component. It’s the area of the body cross-section that is used as a reference for calculating its drag.
- ref: This is the reference area typically used for the entire aircraft when calculating drag coefficients. It can vary depending on the context but is often the total wing reference area.