Two-dimensional results are only half the story. Once you trust a section polar, HFOIL’s 3D tools help you estimate wing lift distribution using vortex-lattice and lifting-line style methods.
Define the planform
Set span, taper, sweep, and twist. Even a simple rectangular wing teaches how tip vortices reduce effective lift near the tips.
Read the loading plots
Inspect spanwise lift and induced drag. If the outer wing is overloaded, add washout or change taper before you freeze the geometry.
Use the CAD viewport
Confirm the 3D wing looks correct — dihedral, tip shape, and multi-element gaps are easier to catch visually than in tables alone.
Engineering takeaway
Airfoil selection is a trade among lift, drag, stall gentleness, and pitching moment. Document Reynolds number, Mach assumptions, and geometry provenance whenever you share polars with a team.
How HFOIL helps you act
Use HFOIL on Windows to iterate sections, generate polars, move into wing loading, and prepare review-ready plots. For licensing in any country, use Contact Us or email support@hendoi.com.
Learn more
Students: treat each case as a lab notebook entry. Companies: shortlist two or three sections before freezing CAD. Academies: assign compare-and-justify exercises using batch plots.