Absolute Angle of Attack - NAR Associates（绝对攻角- NAR Associates）.pdf

Absolute Angle of Attack David F. Rogers, Phd, ATP Before we discuss angle of attack and specifically absolute angle of attack it is necessary to define angle of attack. Angle of attack is the angle between some reference line and the freestream direction. The geometric angle of attack is the angle between the chord line and the freestream direction, as shown in Fig. 1 and labelled as αG (alpha G). When the chord line is aligned with the freestream direction the geometric angle of attack is zero. The geometric angle of attack is the angle of attack most familiar to pilots. The absolute angle of attack is the angle between the aircraft zero lift line (ZLL) and the freestream direction, as also shown in Fig. 1 and labelled just α (alpha). When the ZLL is aligned with the freestream direction, the absolute angle of attack is zero. For a cambered airfoil the ZLL is negative with respect to the chord line. Hence, the absolute angle of attack is α = αG − αZLL and larger in magnitude than the geometric angle of attack. The ZLL is negative because the camber (curvature) of the airfoil results in lift even when the geometric angle of attack is zero. For a symmetrical airfoil, i.e., an airfoil with no camber, the absolute angle of attack and the geometric angle of attack are the same, i.e., α = αG . Before we go any further, what is the freestream direction? Basically, the freestream direction is opposite to the direction of motion of the aircraft center of gravity, i.e., it is the direction of motion of the aircraft center of gravity through the airspace regardless of where the nose of the aircraft is pointing. Flap Effect on Absolute Angle of Attack It is convenient and illustrative to use the effe