Why are airplane wing tips turned up?

The winglet is there to reduce vortex drag, which is the spiralling flow of air that forms under the tip of the wing mid-flight. Winglets have been a feature of jets for the past few decades, and their design was inspired by the upturned feathers on bird’s wings as they soar through the air.

Why are the end of plane wings bent up?

Due to the angle at which the wing is fixed to the aircraft fuselage, higher air pressure is experienced on the lower surface of the wing than on the upper surface. This creates a pressure difference between the top and bottom sections of the wing, which generates lift (upward movement of the aircraft).

What do upturned wingtips do?

What are wingtip vortices? They’re swirling tunnels of air that form on your wingtips. High-pressure air from the bottom of your wing escapes around the wingtip, moving up towards the lower pressure area on the top of the wing. This movement creates a vortex or tunnel of air, rotating inwards behind the wing.

What are the tips of wings called?

The ad is on the upward sloping mini-wing on the tip of the wing, called a winglet. The tips of airplane wings are adorned with all manner of winglets, sometimes featuring a distinct curve, like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787.

Who invented wing tips on airplanes?

Frederick W. Lanchester
The initial concept dates back to 1897, when English engineer Frederick W. Lanchester patented wing end-plates as a method for controlling wingtip vortices. In the United States, Scottish-born engineer William E. Somerville patented the first functional winglets in 1910.

Why do 787 wings flex?

Allowing the wings to flex improves aerodynamic stability. The aircraft is more streamlined and experiences less drag. It helps provide a smoother ride for passengers and minimize turbulence. The 787 fly-by-wire technology also helps here to automatically raise or lower the wing trailing edge during the cruise.