Quantitative low-speed wake surveys

Theoretical and practical aspects of conducting three-dimensional wake measurements in large wind tunnels are reviewed with emphasis on applications in low-speed aerodynamics. Such quantitative wake surveys furnish separate values for the components of drag such as profile drag and induced drag, but also measure lift without the use of a balance. In addition to global data, details of the wake flowfield as well as spanwise distributions of lift and drag are obtained. This article demonstrates the value of this measurement technique using data from wake measurements conducted on a variety of low-speed configurations including the complex high-lift system of a transport aircraft.