Suitability of the NACA 0012 for aircrafts

[v_arsha]

Hello,
I wanted to know how suitable is a NACA 0012 airfoil, in order to use it in commercial aircrafts?
I mean to say, what are basically its advantages and disadvantages.
And where it can be used.

Thank you very much

 

[boneh3ad]

Well it is suitable to a degree. It doesn't have any camber so it's L/D could be better for certain parts of the flight profile.

The real issue is that, in general, the NACA 0012 is a very basic airfoil that is a good academic exercise, but with modern design software and manufacturing techniques, it is easy to design much more advanced and better performing airfoil for real aircraft.

 

[RandomGuy88]

Probably not so great for commercial jets because they are traveling at transonic speeds and the 0012 is not designed for that flight regime. Supercritical airfoils are better to reduce wave drag.

 

[viscousflow]

v_arsha, just about all commercial uses of the Naca 4 series airfoils were abandoned 60 to 70 years ago. The reason being is the bad L/D characteristics bonehead mentioned. This could be translated visually as a very small drag bucket. Also, these airfoils were only designed with thickness location for lift in mind (if I remember correctly), and not high/low pressure regions which also affects CD. If you read "Theory of Wing Sections" by Abbot and Von Doenhoff, they have the complete story.

Essentially uses of the NACA 4 and 5 series have been dropped and only the 6-series (and its modified versions) has been found suitable for commercial uses.

 

[alphy]

for your question. The NACA 0012 airfoil is a commonly used airfoil in the design of aircraft wings. It was originally developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the early 20th century and has since been used in a wide range of aircrafts, including commercial aircrafts.

One of the main advantages of the NACA 0012 airfoil is its high lift-to-drag ratio, which means it can generate a lot of lift while minimizing drag. This makes it ideal for use in commercial aircrafts, as it allows for efficient and stable flight. Additionally, the NACA 0012 airfoil has a relatively low pitching moment, which helps to stabilize the aircraft and reduce the need for constant adjustments by the pilot.

However, there are also some disadvantages to using the NACA 0012 airfoil. One of the main drawbacks is its sensitivity to changes in angle of attack. This means that the airfoil may experience significant changes in lift and drag when the angle of attack is altered, which can make it challenging for pilots to control the aircraft. Additionally, the NACA 0012 airfoil is not suitable for high-speed flight, as it tends to experience a lot of drag at high velocities.

Overall, the NACA 0012 airfoil is a suitable choice for commercial aircrafts due to its high lift-to-drag ratio and stable flight characteristics. However, it may not be the best option for high-speed aircrafts or those that require precise control at varying angles of attack. It is commonly used in small to medium-sized aircrafts, such as single-engine planes and smaller commercial jets. I hope this answers your questions.