Swept Wing

Definition

A wing design where the leading edge is angled backward, delaying the onset of compressibility effects and raising the critical Mach number. Most jet transport aircraft use swept wings for efficient high-speed cruise.

Related Terms

Critical Mach Number(Mcrit)

The Mach number at which airflow over some part of the aircraft first reaches th...

Dutch Roll

An oscillatory motion combining yaw and roll, common in swept-wing aircraft with...

Mach Number

The ratio of true airspeed to the local speed of sound. Mach 1.0 is the speed of...

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