Figure 5.19. A four-digit, a five-digit and a 6-series airfoil sections (Ref. 2) The meaning of each digit is as follows.

The first digit is always 6; that is the series designation. The second digit represents the chordwise position of minimum pressure in tenths of chord for the basic symmetrical section at zero lift. The third digit indicates the ideal lift coefficient in tenths. The last two digits represent the maximum thickness-to-chord ratio. In case that the airfoil name has a subscript after the second digit, it indicate the lift coefficient range in tenths above and below the value of ideal lift coefficient in which favorable pressure gradient and low drag exist. A zero in the third digit means that this airfoil is a symmetrical airfoil section.

NACA 6-series airfoils

NACA five digit airfoils

NACA four digit airfoils

Figure 5.20. A general comparison between four-digit, five-digit and 6-series airfoil sections

No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Airfoil Clmax at Cmo (Cl/Cd)max Cli Cdmin Ds 6 section Rn=310 (deg) 0009 1.25 13 0 39 0 0.0052 4412 1.5 13 -0.09 71 0.4 0.006 2415 1.4 14 -0.05 86 0.3 0.0065 23012 1.6 16 -0.013 60 0.3 0.006 23015 1.5 15 -0.008 52 0.1 0.0063 631-212 1.55 14 -0.004 67 0.2 0.0045 632-015 1.4 14 0 61 0 0.005 632-618 1.3 14 -0.1 52 0.5 0.0052 64-210 1.4 12 -0.042 57 0.2 0.004 654-221 1.1 16 -0.025 46 0.1 0.0048 Table 5.2. Characteristics of several NACA airfoil sections

(t/c)max 9% 12% 15% 12% 15% 12% 15% 18% 10% 21%

For example, the NACA 633-218 airfoil section (see figure 5.19c) has 18% thickness-to-chord ratio. The position of the minimum pressure in this airfoil is located at 30 percent of the chord (the second digit). The ideal lift coefficient of the airfoil is 0.2 (the third digit). Finally, the lift
Wing Design 27