How does an aerofoil generate lift?

An aerofoil generates lift by forcing air to travel faster over its upper (cambered/angled) surface than beneath. By Bernoulli's principle, higher velocity means lower pressure on top, creating an upward pressure difference. The Kutta-Joukowski theorem quantifies this: L = ?V8G per unit span, where G is the bound circulation generated by the aerofoil's angle of attack and camber.

What is a NACA aerofoil?

NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) aerofoils are standardised wing cross-sections defined by 4-digit codes. NACA XYZZ: X = maximum camber as % chord, Y = chordwise position of max camber in tenths, ZZ = maximum thickness as % chord. E.g. NACA 2412 has 2% camber at 40% chord and 12% thickness. The geometry is generated by analytical equations using cosine spacing for accurate panel coverage.

What happens at stall?

At angles of attack above ~14–16°, the boundary layer on the upper surface separates from the aerofoil, causing a dramatic loss of lift and increase in pressure drag — a stall. The simulator shows the ? STALL warning when a exceeds 14°, and CD rises sharply while CL plateaus then drops. In real aircraft, stall recovery requires reducing angle of attack.

What is the panel method?

The panel method approximates the flow around an aerofoil by distributing vortex panels along its surface. Each panel has an unknown vortex strength ? determined by enforcing zero normal velocity at control points (the Neumann boundary condition) plus the Kutta condition (smooth flow at the trailing edge). Solving this linear system gives the pressure distribution, lift, and the induced velocity field for streamline tracing.

Home▸Fluid Dynamics & Aerodynamics▸Aerodynamics Simulator – NACA Aerofoil Lift, Drag & Panel Method

🧪 Aerodynamics Simulator – NACA Aerofoil Lift, Drag & Panel Method

Interactive aerodynamics simulator with NACA 4-digit aerofoil panel method, streamline visualisation, pressure coefficient (Cp) distribution, lift and drag coefficients, Reynolds number effects, and wind-tunnel flow field.

Fluid Dynamics & Aerodynamics2DModerate60 FPS

⚙ Under the hood

This simulation demonstrates the fundamentals of aerodynamics. Users can explore how air flows around an airfoil (NACA aerofoil) to generate lift and drag forces, illustrating key aerodynamic principles.

NACA AerofoilLift Drag

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install