Ep. 19: Angle of Attack Explained | and Relative Wind

In this video we'll explain how relative wind interacts with the chord line to produce angle of attack on any airplane's wing. You'll see several examples during takeoff, level flight, descent and landing.

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[tmusky]

THANK YOU!! I was struggling with the concept but the water on the window gave an excellent visualization

[markoneill]

The rain on the window description is brilliant, if you don't mind, I'm going to use that,

[joshuaherman]

Great video! Explained it perfectly. Also, Im glad I paid attention in Physics and Geometry. Helps a ton!

[imrehorvath]

Very very good practical demonstration my friend thsnkyou bravo zulu keep up the outstanding work

[zbrendle]

Another great video! Wish I could just show your videos for my CFI initial!

[saumyasingh]

Could you explain how chord varies for different section of propeller blade?

[hellosiri]

can u please explain what is effective angle of attack and angle of incidence?

[bernniegeremillo]

This is a great help been having a difficulties reviewing about AOA

[ES-ivwb]

Great video. Thumbs up.
I still don’t understand why the water streaming up the window was coming in from a angel lower than the plane as it was ascending. Could you explain? I really don’t get angle of attack.

[sergy]

What fraction of lift is provided by AOA vs wing shape, for an average airliner at a typical cruise speed and altitude, roughly?

[barar]

do you have a different video that explains how the relative wind works?

[seattleraf]

I guess what I’m not grokking is what relative wind means. If I’m cruising does the direction of the wind matter, eg tailwind vs headwind vs crosswind

And why is there no angle of attack (no relative wind?) if I’m climbing at the same angle that I’m pitched to? (Your example was pitched 10 degrees and climbing at 10 degrees)

I thought relative wind is opposite of my direction, but then I don’t see why there’s be zero angle of attack / relative wind in the example where plane is pitched and climbing at 10 degrees

[manishankaryadav]

When can we have negative angle of attack?

[StrsAmbrg]

I believe you have explained the AoA incorrectly. Your way to describe AoA and the relative wind in 2:20 is incorrect. As per my understanding, for still wind and weather, the angle of the propeller or turbines always fixed to the fuselage or longitudinal axis, as per designed, as per manufactured. The wing angle to the fuselage (which is knows as longitudinal axis) is normally around 6 degree.

In actual flight, the wind is coming from two things: Wind generated by the propeller or turbines, and wind hit by the airplane. But in this discussion, the wind from the environment we will neglect. But in actual situation, wind will be the resultant of both.

One terminology that you forgot during explaining the AoA here is the absence of the Flight Path Vector (FPV). This vector is the expected result or direction by the pilot.The AoA itself is angle between the chordline to the FPV. To get that vector, a pilot have to adjust some parameters, especially Air Speed, such as during landing, cruise, and take off. During take off, the FPV heading UP, parallel to the wind direction (so do to the longitudinal axis, as the plane is heading up). Hence, the AoA is relatively small. During landing, the plane also pitching up, wind direction also coming from above, but the FPV is heading DOWN. Hence, the AoA is relatively high. But during the cruise, for normal condition, the FPV is horizontal, parallel to the longitudinal axis, which the AoA is the manufactured AoA with the wing attached to the fuselage (around 6 degree as I mentioned above). But, there will be condition that the longitudinal axis is not horizontal, but heading up, but the FPV is remain horizontal. That is achieved by reducing speed such way. See this condition? The relative wind is coming from above, but plane is horizontal. For jet fighter, the condition is more complex.

[sohail]

Hello Pilots,
Do I understand it right that,
Stall will happen when you have a large angle of attack at relative low speed?
But
if, with the Same Angle of Attack, the speed is much higher, then stall
won't happen. Right? And the plane will climb up of course. Right?

If not right, Then how come that fighter jets and other acrobatic planes can climb straight vertically?
I suppose this is because of their high speed, which provides enough lift, no matter in what direction or angle they move.
So why can't normal plans in a critical angle of attack give full thrust to gain more lift?
The
air is the same everywhere in the sky. Why behaves the air different if
we want to fly in an angle which is not parallel to the horizon?

[LandStalkerNigel]

That actually does make a little more sense. Dont forget angle of attack also applies to helicopters

[n.sreenivasreddy]

What happen if angle of attack is greater than 15 degrees

[Babook]

Did anyone ever tell you that you do sound a bit like Steve Carell ? (I say this as a compliment)

[mamatuja]

I'm not sure this was as accurate as it could have been.