Air travel has two major issues; plane crashes caused by loss of control and its contribution to pollution. Aircrafts could employ a new wing orientation, forward swept wings, which would increase the effectiveness of the rear wing set, thereby increasing the control given to the pilot. Other studies suggest that forward swept wings are more efficient than the contemporary rear swept wings. If aircrafts became more efficient, then they could fly the same distance without consuming as much fuel, thereby decreasing air pollution emissions. This experiment measured the efficiency ratio (lift-to-drag ratio) as a proxy for fuel efficiency. I utilized force sensors to measure lift (upward force) and drag (frictional force) on 3D printed wing models in order to create the efficiency ratio (lift/drag). This ratio, in turn, allows for comparisons of efficiency concerning differing sweep orientations. It was found that forward swept wings were more efficient than rear swept wings at subsonic speeds. This warrants future research concerning the fuel efficiency of forward swept wings at varying speeds and angles of attack in direct comparison with rear swept wings.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.