ESDU 94037:1994

ESDU 94037 gives an expression for calculating the total theoretical leading-edge suction force using the lift-curve slope and the lift-dependent drag factor which can be obtained respectively from ESDU 70011 and 74035. The normalised spanwise distribution of suction for plane straight-tapered wings is tabulated, and illustrated in graphs, for a systematic set of planforms that allows the distribution to be obtained for any wing by cross plotting the tabulated results. The results were obtained from runs of a vortex-lattice program but special modelling was necessary for certain difficult planforms such as those of low taper ratio and low aspect ratio, and also in the vicinity of the centre-line chord, to ensure a coherent set of normalised distributions. Details of the corrections are included. A computer program, ESDUpac A9438, is introduced in ESDU 94038, which incorporates all the corrected tabulated data, carries out any interpolation required to obtain the distribution for the chosen planform and calculates the total suction force. The expected accuracy of the results is discussed.