Leading edge slot

A leading edge slot is a fixed aerodynamic feature of the wing of some aircraft to reduce the stall speed and promote good low-speed handling qualities. A leading edge slot is a spanwise gap in each wing, allowing air to flow from below the wing to its upper surface. In this manner they allow flight at higher angles of attack and thus reduce the stall speed.

At an angle of attack above about 15° many airfoils enter the stall. Modification of such an airfoil with a fixed leading edge slot can increase the stalling angle to between 22° and 25°.

Slots were first developed by Handley Page in 1919 and the first aircraft to fly with them was the experimental H.P.17, a modified Airco DH.9A. The first aircraft fitted with controllable slots was the Handley Page H.P.20. Licensing the design became one of Handley Page’s major sources of income in the 1920s.

Similar, but retractable, leading edge devices are called slats. When the slat opens, it creates a slot between the slat and the remainder of the wing; retracted, the drag is reduced.

A fixed leading edge slot can increase the maximum lift coefficient of an airfoil section by 40%. In conjunction with a slat, the increase in maximum lift coefficient can be 50% or even 60%.

Unlike trailing edge flaps, leading edge slots do not increase the lift coefficient at zero angle of attack since they do not alter the camber.

A leading edge slot is a fixed (non-closing) gap behind the wing’s leading edge. Air from below the wing can accelerate through the slot towards the low pressure region above the wing, and exit from the slot moving parallel to the upper wing surface. This high-speed flow then mixes with the boundary layer attached to the upper surface and delays boundary layer separation from the upper surface.

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Wikipedia