Editing Angle of attack (section)

==Relation between angle of attack and lift coefficient ==
[[File:MISB ST 0601.8 - Platform Angle of Attack.png|thumb|350px|Platform angle of attack]]
[[File:Coefficients of Drag and Lift vs AOA.jpg|thumb|300px|Coefficients of drag and lift versus angle of attack. Stall speed corresponds to the angle of attack at the maximum coefficient of lift (C<sub>L<small>MAX</small></sub>)]]
[[Image:Lift curve.svg|thumb|300px|right|A typical [[lift coefficient]] curve for an [[airfoil]] at a given [[airspeed]].]]
The [[lift coefficient]] of a [[fixed-wing aircraft]] varies with angle of attack.  Increasing angle of attack is associated with increasing lift coefficient up to the maximum lift coefficient, after which lift coefficient decreases.<ref name="nasa-lc">{{cite web|url=http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/liftco.html|title=NASA Lift Coefficient}}</ref>

As the angle of attack of a fixed-wing aircraft increases, [[Flow separation|separation]] of the airflow from the upper surface of the wing becomes more pronounced, leading to a reduction in the rate of increase of the lift coefficient. The figure shows a typical curve for a [[Camber (aerodynamics)|cambered]] straight wing. Cambered airfoils are curved such that they generate some lift at small negative angles of attack.  A symmetrical wing has zero lift at 0 degrees angle of attack. The lift curve is also influenced by the wing shape, including its [[airfoil]] section and [[planform (aeronautics)|wing planform]].  A [[swept wing]] has a lower, flatter curve with a higher critical angle.