AEROFORUM

                                                                       Form Drag Form drag is experienced in the surface of the aircraft when the streamlined airflow separates and becomes turbulent. To experiment form drag keep a flat plate on the streamlined airflow, now the pressure before the plate is atmospheric and the pressure after it is below the atmospheric which results in sucking effect behind the plate and vortices are formed. It is mandatory to delay the separation point of airflow and this is achieved by altering the shape or streamline of the given object. When the airflow changes its direction rapidly form drag experienced is higher. A fairing is fitted around the fixed undercarriage leg to reduce form drag to considerable extent. The resultant form drag depends on the length and maximum thickness of the streamlined object. The ratio of length to maximum thickness is called the fitness ratio. Fitness ratio = a/b At subsonic speeds fitness ratio of streamlined shapes is