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Old February 28th 15, 05:59 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Paul Villinski
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Posts: 51
Default new wingtip design

As a non-scientist/engineer, it baffles me that we are able to build amazingly sophisticated airplanes, yet, as the lecturer demonstrates, there is a huge amount of confusion over how to explain why a wing produces lift, and many of our common assumptions are simply wrong, i.e., the reason(s) for accelerated airflow over the top surface (which intuitively has never made sense to me). Engineers designing airplanes are themselves still arguing over whether it's more about Bernoulli or the downward-turning force or Coanda effect. Yet, I'm still able to get from one coast to another at 35,000 feet traveling at 600 mph, while sipping coffee and watching a movie.