Compared with a low aspect ratio wing, a very high aspect ratio wing will have:

Compared with a low aspect ratio wing, a very high aspect ratio wing will have:

• A. High stall speed
• B. Low stall speed
• C. No change in stall speed
• D. Unpredictable stall speed

Answer: (D)

Stall speed is the speed at which the wing can generate enough lift to equal the airplane’s weight, which depends on weight, air density, wing area, and the maximum lift coefficient (Vs = sqrt(2W/(rho S Cl_max))). A very high aspect ratio wing changes how lift is distributed across the span and reduces induced drag, but it doesn’t by itself fix the stall speed. In high aspect ratio designs, spanwise flow and three‑dimensional effects become more influential, so the point at which the wing reaches Cl_max can be more sensitive to factors like wing twist, airfoil shape, Reynolds number, and weight distribution. That variability makes the exact stall speed less predictable, so it’s reasonable to say stall speed can be unpredictable with a very high aspect ratio wing.

Stall speed is the speed at which the wing can generate enough lift to equal the airplane’s weight, which depends on weight, air density, wing area, and the maximum lift coefficient (Vs = sqrt(2W/(rho S Cl_max))). A very high aspect ratio wing changes how lift is distributed across the span and reduces induced drag, but it doesn’t by itself fix the stall speed. In high aspect ratio designs, spanwise flow and three‑dimensional effects become more influential, so the point at which the wing reaches Cl_max can be more sensitive to factors like wing twist, airfoil shape, Reynolds number, and weight distribution. That variability makes the exact stall speed less predictable, so it’s reasonable to say stall speed can be unpredictable with a very high aspect ratio wing.