How did environmental humidity affect the performance of early wood and fabric aircraft?
Answer
It caused the fabric to sag, altering the airfoil shape and reducing lift
Because early aircraft relied on organic materials like wood and natural fabric, they were highly sensitive to environmental conditions. Humidity could cause the tensioned fabric covering to loosen and sag. Since the airfoil shape determines the lift generated by the wings, any change in surface geometry directly degraded the aircraft's flying performance, requiring constant maintenance and manual adjustment of the tension.
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