Why Are There Tiny Folds on the Tips of Airplane Wings?

The tiny folds on the wingtips of airplanes are not an aesthetic detail. Far beyond that, it has a critical role.

Even though they seem like small details, if it weren’t for them, air travel would be It could have been much more dangerous. Let’s see what these folds are, which are small but have a big function.

First we need to expose you to some boring terms.

Wings, A consequence of the “Bernoulli principle” It works as. This principle is based on the principle that the air flow rate over the wings increases and the pressure decreases.

Since air flows faster over the upper part of the aircraft’s wings, the pressure on the upper surface is lower than on the lower surface. This pressure difference is the plane’s to rise and stay in the air It creates the buoyant force that allows

Swirls emerge.

The most important air resistance (friction) in airplanes arises from the high pressure under the wing. This means air is blown over the wing tip before spinning in a vortex. to flow upwards why is this happening.

The air under the wing moving from high pressure to low pressure around the wing tips It tends to create tiny vortices as the plane moves.

These vortices; It increases fuel consumption, reduces the speed of the aircraft and reduces performance. Even A plane passing through the same area loses its balance and goes into emergency. It may even cause

This is where the folds on the wing tips (winglets) come into play.

These tiny folds, called “fins”, that you see above, since the 1980s It has been and continues to be an important part of aircraft designs.

Thanks to their curved shapes, friction is reduced, fuel is saved, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions and noise are reduced. Even indirectly price of flight tickets It even decreases because fuel is saved.

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