Why icing downed a Learjet: most wing lift comes from a tiny leading-edge suction peak
zetalyrae · x · 2026-11-04
Reflecting on the recent Learjet crash, zetalyrae explains why icing is catastrophic even in a high-speed dive: airfoil lift is dominated by a tiny suction peak at the leading edge (shown in pressure-coefficient plots), exactly where ice forms — once the edge shape is ruined, speed alone can't recover lift.
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