Definition
A hinged or movable section on the leading edge of a wing that can be lowered to increase wing camber and improve airflow at high angles of attack, allowing the aircraft to fly safely at lower speeds during takeoff and landing.
Plain English
A flap-like panel on the front edge of the wing that drops down to help the wing keep lifting at slow speeds.
Context Anchor
Seen in powerplant, propeller governor, rotor, and engine control discussions when a system is expected to hold a selected speed or pressure.
Derivation
From the everyday word 'droop,' meaning to hang or bend downward. The name describes exactly what the device does — the leading edge of the wing droops down when extended.
Why Pilots Care
Droops let a wing designed for high-speed flight still produce enough lift at low speeds for safe takeoffs and landings. Knowing whether a droop is extended or retracted matters for stall behavior and approach speeds.
Intuition Check
Droop does not mean a part is physically sagging here. It means a controlled value, such as RPM or pressure, has dropped below the selected setting.
Example Sentence 1
When the leading-edge droop extended on approach, the wing maintained smooth airflow even at the lower landing speed.
Example Sentence 2
After shutdown the propeller showed normal droop with each blade hanging slightly downward.