 Span efficiency factor

The span efficiency factor $e$ compares a wing’s lift-induced drag with a reference induced-drag level at the same lift, span and dynamic pressure. In the conventional finite-wing coefficient model,It describes the induced contribution under stated geometry and flow assumptions. NASA’s primary account gives this relation and identifies the elliptic-load ideal in its lifting-line discussion.^[ref]

For an ideal planar wing in classical lifting-line theory, elliptic span loading minimizes induced drag for fixed lift and span, corresponding to $e=1$ in this normalization. Deviations of the loading can increase induced drag and lower $e$. The load distribution depends on twist, section properties and operating conditions as well as planform. An outline alone therefore does not specify a universal efficiency value. Nonplanar systems and different reference conventions require their own interpretation before applying the planar bound.

For an original coefficient example, choose $C_L=0.80$, $AR=8$ and $e=0.80$. Then $C_{D_i}\approx 0.031831$. With $q_{\infty }=500\mathrm{Pa}$ and $S=20{\mathrm{m}}^2$, lift is $8000\mathrm{N}$ and induced drag is about $318.3\mathrm{N}$. At $e=1$ with those other quantities fixed, induced drag would be about $254.6\mathrm{N}$. Thus the chosen $e=0.8$ corresponds to a 25-percent induced-drag increase over that reference, not a statement that twenty percent of all input power is lost.

A drag-polar fit illustrates why efficiency definitions can differ. Suppose a model haswhere $k_v$ is an additional lift-dependent profile-drag coefficient and $e_i$ is the induced efficiency. Fitting the entire quadratic term as $C_L^2/(\pi AR{e}_{\mathrm{fit}})$ givesFor stipulated $e_i=0.90$, $AR=8$ and $k_v=0.010$, the fitted value is about $0.734$. The algebra does not identify $e_{\mathrm{fit}}$ with the induced-only factor. It shows how a total-drag fit can absorb another modeled contribution even when the induced flow itself has not changed.

The inversion is also sensitive to a small extracted drag. At fixed $C_L$ and $AR$, a small fractional error in $C_{D_i}$ gives approximately the opposite fractional error in $e$. If induced drag is obtained by subtracting a large estimated profile contribution from total drag, uncertainty in that subtraction can dominate. Different reference areas or lift conditions also change the comparison.

A proposed test combines measured lift and drag with a separately justified profile-drag estimate or a calibrated wake-based induced-drag inference. Repeat over the intended coefficient range and report the geometry, area convention, flow regime and uncertainty. A single fitted number is useful only alongside the model that separates induced drag from the rest of the measured aerodynamic force.