In fluid dynamics, angle of attack is the angle between a reference line on a body and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is moving. Angle of attack is the angle between the body's reference line and the oncoming flow. This article focuses on the most common application, the angle of attack of a wing or airfoil moving through air.
Angle of attack of an airfoil
Coefficients of drag and lift versus angle of attack. Stall speed corresponds to the angle of attack at the maximum coefficient of lift (CLMAX)
Su-27M / Su-35 at high angle of attack
An airfoil or aerofoil is a streamlined body that is capable of generating significantly more lift than drag. Wings, sails and propeller blades are examples of airfoils. Foils of similar function designed with water as the working fluid are called hydrofoils.
Lift and drag curves for a typical airfoil
An airfoil section is displayed at the tip of this Denney Kitfox aircraft, built in 1991.
Airfoil of a Kamov Ka-26 helicopter's lower rotor blade