Aerodynamics

Ice is likely to accumulate first on surfaces with thin leading edges, such as antennae or landing gear struts. The wings are usually the last to collect ice.

Winglets are 90° upward bends at the wing tip. They significantly reduce the amount of drag and loss of lift caused by wingtip vortices. This translates to improved cruising speeds, improved [...]

A fine pitch propeller will take off and climb better. A course pitch propeller will cruise better.

In a skid the tail is outside of the turn. In a slip the tail is inside of the turn. If the tail is positioned inside or outside of a turn [...]

Dihedral is a type of wing design in which the wings appear to bend upwards from the fuselage to the wing tip. This is not to be confused with washout. Although [...]

Vortex Generators are little tabs the stick up from the wing surface. Their function is to mix the lower velocity air of the boundary layer with the higher velocity air outside [...]

Washout is a type of wing design where the angle of incidence reduces from the wing root to the wing tip. The angle of incidence is the angle between the longitudinal [...]

Weight has no effect on gliding distance provided the lift to drag ratios are the same. A lightly loaded plane will have greater glide endurance but will glide the same distance [...]

Trim tabs are used to balance control forces. If there was not a trim tab the pilot would constantly need to hold the control column in place to maintain the desired [...]

Servo tabs reduce control forces. Anti-servo tabs increase control forces.