Some accurate solutions of the lifting surface integral equation

Abstract

This note describes a simple numerical method for solution of the lifting surface integral equation of aerodynamics, and provides benchmark computations of up to 7 figure accuracy for flat rectangular wings of arbitrary aspect ratio. The nature of the large aspect ratio limit is also investigated numerically and asymptotically. This enables determination of the limiting behaviour near the wing tips, which is compared to the predictions of lifting line theory. Generalisations to non-rectangular wings are discussed.