What term describes the flow of air that moves opposite the flight path of an airplane?

What term describes the flow of air that moves opposite the flight path of an airplane?

• A. Lift
• B. Relative wind
• C. Chord
• D. Dynamic

Answer: (B)

The flow of air moving opposite the airplane’s flight path is called relative wind. This is the air the wing and other surfaces “feel” as the aircraft moves through the air, and it sets up the conditions for lift and drag by interacting with the wing at a given angle of attack. Lift describes the upward force generated by this interaction, not the direction of airflow. The chord is simply the wing’s front-to-back distance, a geometric measure. Dynamic isn’t used to describe the flow direction; it more often refers to dynamic pressure or related concepts, not the airflow’s direction.

The flow of air moving opposite the airplane’s flight path is called relative wind. This is the air the wing and other surfaces “feel” as the aircraft moves through the air, and it sets up the conditions for lift and drag by interacting with the wing at a given angle of attack. Lift describes the upward force generated by this interaction, not the direction of airflow. The chord is simply the wing’s front-to-back distance, a geometric measure. Dynamic isn’t used to describe the flow direction; it more often refers to dynamic pressure or related concepts, not the airflow’s direction.