Tragflügel

Tragflügel, literally “lifting wing,” is the primary lifting surface of a fixed-wing aircraft. In practice the term is often used interchangeably with Tragfläche, though Tragfläche is more common in many technical writings. The Tragflügel is attached to the fuselage and supports lift, stability, and control via its aerodynamic interaction with other surfaces.

Lift is generated by air flowing around the wing’s airfoil, depending on airspeed, angle of attack, wing area and air density. The wing’s shape, planform and distribution of strength (spar arrangement) determine lift, drag, stall behavior and structural loads. Designers adjust aspect ratio, sweep, taper and dihedral, and may add devices such as flaps, slats or winglets to tailor performance for takeoff, cruise and landing.

Common configurations include cantilever wings (no external bracing), braced wings (with struts), folding wings (carrier-based or storage-efficient), and variable-geometry wings (adjustable sweep). Modern high-speed designs may use swept or delta wings to manage wave drag and stability at transonic and supersonic speeds.

Materials range from traditional aluminum and wood-to-fabric to advanced composites. Structural design must handle bending, torsion and aeroelastic effects such as flutter, while maximizing strength relative to weight. The Tragflügel carries control surfaces like ailerons, flaps and slats, which modify lift and roll response during different flight phases.

Historically, wing concepts evolved from simple surfaces to highly optimized, aerodynamically efficient wings, central to reaching higher speeds, greater efficiency and safety. The term Tragflügel highlights the wing’s fundamental role in generating lift, the primary force enabling flight.