1. The graph of lift coefficient (Cl) versus angle of attack (D) Figure 5.

11 shows the typical variations of lift coefficient versus angle of attack for a positive cambered airfoil. Seven significant features of this graph are: stall angle (Ds), maximum lift coefficient (Clmax), zero lift angle of attack (Do), ideal lift coefficient (Cli) and angle of attack corresponding to ideal lift coefficient (DCli), lift coefficient at zero angle of attack (Clo), and lift curve slope ( C lD ). These are critical to identify the performance of an airfoil. a. The stall angle (Ds) is the angle of attack at which the airfoil stalls; i.e. the lift coefficient will no longer increase with increasing angle of attack. The maximum lift coefficient that corresponds to stall angle is the maximum angle of attack. The stall angle is directly related to the flight safety, since the aircraft will lose the balance of forces in a cruising flight. It the stall is not controlled properly; the aircraft may enter a spin and eventually crash. In general, the higher the stall angle, the safer is the aircraft, thus a high stall angle is sought in airfoil selection. The typical stall angles for majority of airfoils are between 12 to 16 degrees. This means that the pilot is not allowed to increase the angle of attack more than about 16 degrees. Therefore the airfoil which has the higher stall angle is more desirable. b. The maximum lift coefficient (Clmax) is the maximum capacity of an airfoil to produce non-dimensional lift; i.e. the capacity of an aircraft to lift a load (i.e. aircraft weight). The maximum lift coefficient is usually occurs at the stall angle. The stall speed (Vs) is inversely a function of maximum lift coefficient, thus the higher Clmax leads in the lower Vs. Thus the higher Clmax results in a safer flight. Therefore, the higher maximum lift coefficient is desired in an airfoil selection process.
Cl Clmax

C li
Clo

0 DR

DC

Ds

D (deg)

Figure 5.11. The variations of lift coefficient versus angle of attack c. The zero lift angle of attack (Do) is the airfoil angle of attack at which the lift coefficient is zero. A typical number for Do is around -2 degrees when no high lift
Wing Design 18