Definition
Movable surfaces on the wing — primarily flaps and slats — that change the wing's shape and area to alter its lift and drag characteristics for different phases of flight. Extending or retracting these devices changes how the wing meets the air, and in the context of wake turbulence, also changes the strength and behavior of the wingtip vortices the aircraft generates.
Plain English
Parts of the wing the pilot can move in or out to change the wing's shape, usually for takeoff and landing. Moving them changes how much lift the wing makes and also changes the swirling air left behind the aircraft.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of takeoff, landing, airplane performance, and wake vortex strength.
Derivation
“Configuration” comes from the idea of an arrangement or shape. In aviation, the wing’s configuration means how the wing is set up at that moment, such as whether its movable lift-changing parts are extended or retracted.
Why Pilots Care
These devices directly influence how lift is distributed across the wing and therefore affect the strength of wingtip vortices that trailing aircraft must avoid.
Grounding Statement
When a pilot extends flaps for landing, the wing is no longer in the same configuration as it was during cruise.
Intuition Check
Do not read “devices” as any equipment mounted on the wing, like lights or antennas. Here it means parts that change the wing’s flying shape and lift behavior.
Example Sentence 1
A heavy jet in cruise has its wing configuration devices retracted, which produces stronger wingtip vortices than the same aircraft on approach with flaps extended.
Example Sentence 2
Extending wing configuration devices can reduce the intensity of vortices shed from the wingtips.