Talk:Camber (aerodynamics)

Definition of Camber...
This page needs to show how a camber can be calculated. I don't know is it: Camber = Volume Upper Chamber/Volume Lower Chamber? Perhaps Camber=Thickness of upper curved surface/Thickness of lower curved surface ? Perhaps Camber=Length of upper curve / Length of lower curve?

I come to wikipedia to answer such questions. If or when I find the answer I will happily suggest an alteration of the page.

Many thanks however to the author for sharing what he has. It has been helpful.

The phrase 'conical camber' is referred to on many pages dealing with supersonic aircraft, yet on not one of them is this defined or is the concept explained, as far as I have been able to discover. There is no page for 'conical camber'. Perhaps this is the place for it. If you know what this is, and can explain it in lay terms, the addition would be appreciated. —Preceding unsigned comment added by BbGideon (talk • contribs) 11:48, 15 November 2008 (UTC)

Camber is not defined in the article, even though there is a section on definition. The text is as follows,

''The camber of an aerofoil can be defined by a camber line, which is the curve that is halfway between the upper and lower surfaces of the aerofoil. Call this function Z(x). To fully define an aerofoil we also need a thickness function T(x), which describes the thickness of the aerofoil at any given point...''

which fails to actually define camber. No where in the article is camber actually defined and after reading the article one is left asking, "What, exactly, is the camber"? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.2.69.235 (talk) 01:57, 1 April 2011 (UTC)


 * Good point. I have expanded the first two sentences in the article, hopefully to provide more of an explanation.  Those sentences now say:
 * Camber, in aeronautics and aeronautical engineering, is the asymmetry between the top and the bottom surfaces of an aerofoil. An aerofoil that is not cambered is called a symmetric aerofoil.
 * Dolphin ( t ) 06:41, 1 April 2011 (UTC)

I came to this page from the propeller article, which is mainly about ship propellers, via a link from the term 'undercambered', and it took me a while to figure out what that would mean. I attempted to clarify this by saying that positive camber refers to the usual situation of a wing being more convex on top. Also I generalized the definition to include other aerofoils such as propeller blades, making it fit better with the aerofoil article which is commendably general, discussing many sorts of aerofoils, man-made and natural.CharlesHBennett (talk) 13:20, 8 October 2017 (UTC)

Stalling angle/speed
What changes in camber affect stalling speed and angle?

About the graph
I added a different graph which I believe is more precise or clear. I doubt the previous one has errors in defining "upper, lower camber". It is not very clear that the dash line is acturally cordline. --Natasha2006 14:58, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Reflexed Camber Line Equation Z(x)
You stated the equation for Z(x) but neglected to define your constants a and b. Please explain these values. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.255.10.54 (talk) 13:48, 20 July 2010 (UTC)


 * The equation given for Z(x) is a degree 3 polynomial. There is an unlimited number of such polynomials but by specifying a and b the result is a single equation.  An aerodynamicist who is defining a suitable shape for a reflex camber airfoil must specify the values of a and b that lead to the chosen shape.  There are numerous reflex camber lines that have been found to be suitable and each one has its own value of a and b.  Dolphin  ( t ) 22:35, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Sentence needs editing
The first sentence in the overview reads "Camber is usually designed into an aerofoil to enable it to create "lift", in the jargon of aerodynamics." This is incorrect; camber isn't required for lift. Could someone who is knowledgeable in the subject provide alternate text? Mark.camp (talk) 03:28, 8 April 2011 (UTC)
 * I have re-worked the whole section. See diff.  Dolphin  ( t ) 04:44, 8 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Perfect! Thanks, Dolphin.
 * Mark.camp (talk) 21:14, 8 April 2011 (UTC)

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External links modified (January 2018)
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name for the curvature of the middle line between upper and lower surface?
what's the name please for the curvature of the middle line between upper and lower surface? can't be camber because camber is defined as the asymmetry between upper and lower half. how does one call the curvature if you take a perfectly symmetric airfoil and bend it upward like a vault (convex on the top, concave on the bottom)? I tend to think that the definition of camber in en.wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camber_(aerodynamics)) is wrong and that camber is the name for this curvature (as it means simply curvature in other contexts)... thanx! HilmarHansWerner (talk) 11:49, 30 September 2023 (UTC)


 * At Airfoil the median line is described as the camber line. The curvature of the camber line doesn’t appear to have a special name. The camber line is unlikely to be the arc of a circle so it couldn’t be accurately described by a radius of curvature. Dolphin ( t ) 14:14, 30 September 2023 (UTC)