Angle of Incidence

The angle of incidence is the angle between the chord line of a wing and the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane. Unlike the angle of attack, which changes dynamically during flight, the angle of incidence is a fixed design feature built into the aircraft structure by the manufacturer. It affects the aircraft's visibility over the nose and its standard cruising pitch attitude.

Key Points

• •Measured between the wing's chord line and the aircraft's longitudinal axis.
• •Fixed by the manufacturer and cannot be changed by the pilot in flight.
• •Affects the aircraft's visibility over the nose and standard cruising pitch attitude.
• •Should not be confused with angle of attack, which varies dynamically during flight.

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