Plain English Meaning

How air moves past the airplane and its parts. The shape and speed of that moving air is what allows the wing to lift and the controls to work.

Full Definition

The movement of air over, under, and around an object — particularly the wings, control surfaces, and other parts of an aircraft. In aviation, airflow describes both the direction and behavior of air as it moves relative to the airplane and is the basis for how lift, drag, and control forces are produced.

Context Anchor

In the flap section, you see this term when describing how flaps change the way air moves over the wing.