A foil is any surface engineered to produce an aerodynamic force when moving through a fluid. In aviation, it is a shorthand way of referring to wings, propeller blades, or helicopter rotors. The cross-sectional shape determines how efficiently the foil splits the air to create low pressure on one side and high pressure on the other.
Heard on the job
Check the leading edge of the main foil for ice accumulation before we push back.
Also heard as
- airfoil
- aerofoil