Area Ruling


Area ruling is a design technique used in the field of aerospace engineering to reduce an aircraft's drag at transonic and supersonic speeds. The concept was first introduced by Richard T. Whitcomb of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the 1950s. The principle behind area ruling is to shape an aircraft such that the cross-sectional area changes smoothly along the length of the aircraft, rather than having abrupt changes. This is achieved by narrowing the fuselage around the wing area to maintain a roughly constant cross-sectional area. The technique reduces the formation of shock waves, which are the primary cause of wave drag at high speeds. Area ruling has been used in the design of numerous aircraft, including the F-102 Delta Dagger and the Concorde.


Your Previous Searches
Random Picks

  • Microlensing: Microlensing is a gravitational lensing phenomenon that occurs when a massive object passes in front of a background star, bending and magnifying its light. In space and astronautical engineering, microlensing is used to detect and study ex ... Read More >>
  • Redox Behavior: Redox behavior refers to the chemical reactions involving the transfer of electrons between chemical species in a system. In the context of space and astronautical engineering, redox behavior is important in understanding the behavior of ma ... Read More >>
  • Propellant: Propellant is a material that is used to create thrust in rockets or other spacecraft. It is a substance that is expelled from the spacecraft in one direction, creating a reaction force in the opposite direction that propels the spacecraft ... Read More >>
Top News

Orionids meteor shower is this weekend: Where and when to watch its peak...

Orionids meteor shower is this weekend: Where and when to watch its peakgo.com...

News Source: ABC News on 2024-10-18

Acting or hosting, Travis Kelce wants to continue to pursue a showbiz career. Bu...

Travis Kelce is the host of “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?”...

News Source: ABC News on 2024-10-09

Now is a great time to see Saturn in all its ringed glory...

My first sight of Saturn through a telescope inspired my love of space. Dig out your telescopes or visit your local astronomy club, and you may be lucky enough to spot our sixth planet's stunning thic...

News Source: New Scientist on 2024-10-09

Was Bruce Willis right? Could a nuclear blast save us from killer asteroid?...

Scientists simulated a nuclear explosion using x-ray pulses to push an asteroid-like rock away in space-like conditions....

News Source: Al Jazeera English on 2024-10-04

China's answer to SpaceX's Starlink is also threatening astronomy...

The first 18 satellites of a planned Chinese mega constellation are brighter than all but 500 stars in the sky, raising fears of a huge impact on astronomy...

News Source: New Scientist on 2024-10-03