Airfoil Center of Gravity Descent 
Pilot Institute
NOVEMBER 1, 2024
Remember that wings, propeller blades, and tail surfaces are airfoil-shaped. Ice build-up on the airframe changes the airflow pattern around these airfoils. Additional Dangers of Ice Accumulation Icing also makes your aircraft heavier and can even change the position of the center of gravity. But how dangerous is it?
Pilot Institute
APRIL 12, 2025
They are designed with a special shape called an airfoil, which encourages passing air to turn and deflect downward. This is why the typical airfoil shape has a curved top and a flat bottom, especially in slower-speed general aviation aircraft. The aircraft pivots about its center of gravity. Wings do just that.
Plane and Pilot
OCTOBER 3, 2024
The airfoil is a Harry Riblett shape, giving modernized flow separation on the leading edge for a soft stall yet with good lift and drag performance. This is a Riblett-airfoil airplane with a slow stall speed (we got it down to 42 knots IAS and it didn’t stall) and a cruise speed of 120 knots.
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