How do I simulate a wind-tunnel airfoil?

Open this page and use the live Airfoil Lift & Drag tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a wind-tunnel airfoil from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Airfoil Lift & Drag

Airfoil Lift & Drag for a wind-tunnel airfoil

Simulate a wind-tunnel airfoil live in your browser. This runs the real Airfoil Lift & Drag solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

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Airfoil Lift & DragLive

the wing's polar

Controls

Presets

Angle of attack (°)

Aspect ratio

Lift rises almost linearly with angle of attack — until the airflow separates and the wing stalls, losing lift sharply. Drag has a fixed part plus induced drag that grows with lift squared and shrinks with aspect ratio. The lift-to-drag ratio, peaking at a modest angle, is the single number that governs a wing's efficiency.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Lift coeff. CL0.53

Drag coeff. CD0.033

Lift/Drag16.0

Statusattached

Governing equation

C_{D} = C_{D 0} + \frac{C _{L}^{2}}{π A R e} = 0.020 + \frac{0.5 3 ^{2}}{π \cdot 8 \cdot 0.85} = 0.033

Reading this result: Pre-stall: lift rises almost linearly with angle of attack at 6°, well below the ~15° stall angle. Adding camber would lift the entire curve higher.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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About this simulation

The full Airfoil Lift & Drag tool models a wind-tunnel airfoil with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate a wind-tunnel airfoil?: Open this page and use the live Airfoil Lift & Drag tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a wind-tunnel airfoil from your own measurements.