Designer's Notebook

Last month we took a look at how the planform of the wing affects the spanwise distribution of lift along the wing. The shape...

Last month we started our discussion of wing planforms with a look at the various planform shapes in use. We now turn our attention...

Last month we took a look at the effects of span and aspect ratio. At this point on the design of the wing, we...

At this point in the design process we have determined the wing area. The choice of high- versus low-wing and structural concept of the...

Last month we began our discussion of the structural layout of the wing with a look at externally braced wings. We now turn our...

As we saw last month, the designer has two fundamental choices of wing structural architecture: cantilever or externally braced. In a cantilever layout all...

Last month we started our discussion of wing design with a look at the vertical placement of the wing on the fuselage (high versus...

At this point in the design process, we have gotten the airplane sized, balanced, and after six months of consideration gotten the landing gear...

Last month, I ran out of space before getting to the end of our discussion of landing gear. This month, we conclude the series...

For the past few editions of Wind Tunnel, we’ve been exploring the factors that drive the configuration and placement of landing gear. Last month...