angle of attack
Airfoil pitch measurement
The angle of attack is the angle between an airfoil and the oncoming air.
In aviation, increasing the angle of attack generates more lift—up to a point.
Too steep an angle causes a stall, where airflow separates from the wing and lift collapses.
The pilot reduced the angle of attack to recover from the stall.
The concept applies to any surface moving through fluid, from propeller blades to sailboat keels.
Mechanism for vertical transport
- stallEnclosed compartment or delay
- airfoilLift-generating curved surface
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
- dragResistance through fluid
wing · chord · camber · pitch · incidence · coefficient · boundary layer · airflow
Regaining what was lost
- climbAscend using effort
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
- throttlePower flow controller
attitude · flare · rotation · takeoff · landing · glide · approach · stick
lift
Mechanism for vertical transport
- stallEnclosed compartment or delay
- airfoilLift-generating curved surface
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
drag · wing · chord · camber · pitch · incidence · coefficient · boundary layer · airflow · aspect ratio
recovery
Regaining what was lost
throttle · attitude · flare · rotation · takeoff · landing · glide · approach · stick · yoke
incline
Angled rising surface
steepness · grade · rake · cant · bevel · inclination · ascent · descent · ramp · bank
approach
Way of handling something
- tacticPlanned action for advantage
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- methodOrderly way of doing
stance · positioning · leverage · framing · gambit · ploy · maneuver · scheme · counter · offensive
- Aeronauticslift, thrust, drag, wing, airfoil
- flight propertiesairspeed, altitude, speed, velocity, lift
- reentryreentry, reentry vehicle, reentry capsule, heat shield, ablative
- aerodynamicsairflow, lift, drag, drag coefficient, turbulence
- cockpit instrumentsaltimeter, attitude indicator, tachometer, artificial horizon, magnetic compass
- Dogfightingdogfight, barrel roll, wingman, bandit, six o'clock
attack, angle, angled, angles, angular, angling, rectangular, triangular, angler