Talk:Aerodynamic center

This article is written in American English, which has its own spelling conventions (color, defense, traveled) and some terms that are used in it may be different or absent from other varieties of English. According to the relevant style guide, this should not be changed without broad consensus.

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Aerodynamic center article.
This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject.

Put new text under old text. Click here to start a new topic.
New to Wikipedia? Welcome! Learn to edit; get help.

Article policies

Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL

Aviation

This article is within the scope of the Aviation WikiProject. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the project and see lists of open tasks and task forces. To use this banner, please see the full instructions.AviationWikipedia:WikiProject AviationTemplate:WikiProject Aviationaviation articles

Physics: Fluid Dynamics Low‑importance

	Physics portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Physics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Physics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.PhysicsWikipedia:WikiProject PhysicsTemplate:WikiProject Physicsphysics articles
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.
	This article is supported by Fluid Dynamics Taskforce.

Challenge[edit]

There seems to be a problem with the clause: "airfoil does not vary with lift coefficient i.e. angle of attack, " Expert? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.121.33.199 (talk) 20:02, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

It's a strange phrase, but it is correct. Rewording the introduction wouldn't be a bad idea. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.142.96.151 (talk) 08:05, 30 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Neutral point[edit]

Is the aerodynamic center the same thing as the neutral point? cagliost (talk) 14:11, 29 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Answer: The aerodynamic center refers only to the wing. The neutral point refers to the whole aircraft. The neutral point is the aerodynamic center of the whole aircraft. "Instead of the centre of pressure, then, we use an alternative reference point called the aerodynamic centre or, for a whole aircraft, the neutral point." [1] cagliost (talk) 14:12, 29 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Cagliost I agree that the aerodynamic center and the neutral point are not the same; they are defined to be very different. There will be examples of certain aircraft in which the AC and the NP are at the same point, but this is a coincidence and does not indicate that the two have the same meaning. Tailless aircraft may be examples of this coincidence.

If the CG of an aircraft is at the AC the longitudinal stability is usually satisfactory so the AC usually lies within the approved CG envelope for the aircraft.

In stability analyses consideration must be given to the lift on the wing acting at the AC of the wing; and the lift (often downwards) on the horizontal tailplane acting at the AC of the tailplane. The neutral point is the point at which longitudinal stability is zero (neutral stability) if that is the location of the center of gravity. Neutral stability is unsatisfactory for most aircraft because positive longitudinal stability is essential for safe flying characteristics. Consequently the aft limit of the approved CG range for such aircraft must be forward of the neutral point, and the aircraft will never be flown with the CG at the NP.

Stability analysis for aircraft with fixed horizontal stabilizer and movable elevator results in the aircraft having two neutral points - the NP with stick-fixed; and the NP with stick-free. It is most common for the NP stick-free to lie ahead of the NP stick-fixed, but both must be outside (behind) the approved CG range for the aircraft. Dolphin (t) 12:41, 5 July 2022 (UTC)[reply]