How Does Wing Washout on Aircraft Work?

Wings are considered to be one of the most important parts when it comes to aircraft performance. When most people think of an airplane, they imagine a blueprint with straight wings, but in actuality, this could not be further from the truth. Wings are designed with washout features to prevent airplanes from stalling for almost every aircraft. In addition, they stabilize the aircraft in cases of an emergency, such as losing control of the vehicle.

What Is Washout?

Washout is an aerodynamic wing design where the angle of an airfoil's surface changes from its root to its tip. Generally, the wing with washout is twisted at an angle from the root to the tip where the angle of incidence at the root is higher than the tip. In simpler terms, the wing's root will fly at a higher angle of attack than the wingtip at any speed and any altitude. The washout design of the wing helps to ensure that it remains stable at both fast speeds and high angles of attack. These critical characteristics assure that the root will stall before the tip to maintain the aileron.

Why Would Aircraft Fly with Washout?

A stall occurs when the airflow over an airfoil meets conditions that can no longer produce enough lift to overcome gravity. In a stall condition, if you do not have washout on your wings, it can be dangerous as the plane has the potential to start spinning and losing altitude quickly. On the other hand, a wing with washout will stall at the root, which is preferred.

In wings with washout, the root has a higher angle of incidence. Meaning that, while flying, the root will come in contact with the critical angle of attack sooner than the tip, making the root stall first. This results in loss of lift around the root area, restricting the aircraft's nose from pitching up. It would also mean adequate airflow over the wingtip, preventing any rapid rolling motion and making the aircraft more stable during a stall. The washout feature of wings makes aircraft more resistant to entering a spin, and root stalls also guarantee additional aid when performing banked turns.

Built-In Washouts and Their Types

Wings typically have a few degrees of washout, but it is still crucial to consider aircraft and wing sizes when determining an appropriate washout degree. In some aircraft, such as the F-18, the difference in incidence angle is approximately 4 degrees. This implies that, if the F-18's wings are flying at a 10 degree angle of attack, the wingtip will fly at a 6 degree angle of attack.

Apart from twisting the wing to prevent stalling over the wingtips, some aircraft like the Cirrus SR-20 and SR-22 use a 'double cuff' washout. In this type, the inboard cuffed portion of the wing has a higher angle of incidence, meaning it flies at a higher angle of attack. When the airplane stalls, the inboard portion of the wing stalls first. This allows the outside cuffed part to have a continuous non-separated airflow over the tips of the wing and ailerons, providing excellent stability when stalled.

Conclusion

Washouts are an essential feature on airplanes as they allow pilots to have greater control of their aircraft during a stall, additionally allowing them to fly with better stability. Meaning, an aircraft without washouts is typically difficult to fly and dangerous. While maintaining an aircraft, it is essential that your part supplier is reliable and from a trusted source. Serving as an online global parts distributor, ASAP Purchasing is here to provide you with all the civil aviation, NSN, electronic parts, and more to continue your operations. For assistance on any one of your inquiries, our dedicated account representatives are here to assist you by phone or email 24/7x365!

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