Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

2 Answers

What do vortexes have to do with lift?

Asked by: 1641 views Aerodynamics

I've been reading about and watching tutorials on lift and I cannot totally understand what vortices have to do with lift. It seems you add "vortex generators" to wings to create vortexes and theoretically generator more lift, but I don't totally seem to understand the relation. I do understand that there is higher pressure under the wing and lower pressure above the wing and the wing-tips generate vortices, but I don't get how/why you would want vortex generators on your wing span. 

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

2 Answers



  1. ayavner on Jul 18, 2019

    Does this help?
    https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aerodynamics/vortex-generators/

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. willmcc on Jul 18, 2019

    I think so. Essentially what I understand is that the vortex generators keep the boundary layer closer to the airfoil, which then in turn prevents a stall from occuring, as you don’t have the pocket of nothingness there anymore, which then allows you to have a higher angle of attack without stalling.

    Please correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s basically what I get.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.