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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-camber

On an airfoil, what is camber?

The curve of the airfoil's upper and lower surfaces.

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  1. The front edge of the wing
  2. The curvature of the wing's surfaces ✔
  3. The angle the wing meets the air

Why: On most wings, the top surface curves more than the bottom, which is fairly flat. That curve is called camber, and it helps the wing make lift.

Huh, didn't know that: Wing flaps work by adding camber to part of the wing.

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Why did the airfoil like geometry? It was always ahead of the curve.
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References

Answer: The curvature of the wing's surfaces. On most wings, the top surface curves more than the bottom, which is fairly flat. That curve is called camber, and it helps the wing make lift.

  1. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C) www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-25c.pdf
    Notice that there is a difference in the curvatures (called cambers) of the upper and lower surfaces of the airfoil.
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. Aerospace: The Journey of Flight, Teacher's Guide (Civil Air Patrol) www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/2nd_edition_Teachers_Guide_5D3166D76F9B1.pdf
    The flap increases the camber of the wing airfoil
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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