Abstract: An improved trailing edge configuration for a transonic airfoil is disclosed. The upper and lower surfaces converge without diverging over the aft 40% of the airfoil chord, and the airfoil has significantly increasing downward curvature at the aft end. The absolute value of the negative slope of the camber typically increases by at least 50% over the aft 4% of the chord, usually increasing by a factor of about 2. The negative slope of the camber of the airfoil typically reaches at least about -0.25 at the trailing edge of the airfoil, and in preferred designs, the slope of the camber changes from about -0.175 to about -0.325 over the aft 4% of the chord.

Abstract: An aircraft swept wing which provides pitch stability during stall conditions. In a swept wing aircraft which has leading edge flaps which in their deployed position forms a slot between the slot and the leading edge portion of a fixed main wing structure, the configuration of said leading edge portion is varied spanwise to vary the localized aerodynamic pressure spanwise along the wing. Increased bluntness of said leading edge portion, or increased slot-gap width, creates a stall condition on an inboard portion of the wing which approximates, at increasing angles of attack, the lift and pitching moment changes simultaneously experienced on outboard portions of the wing. As a result, adverse nose-up pitching moment under stall conditions is avoided, and improved pitch stability is achieved in swept wing aircraft, without compromising maximum lift capability.