ORIGINAL: AFSalmon

Tailtwister:

Very good explanation of 3d physics and right on the mark. Typically in 3d flight as most of us define it the wing is no longer flying and ceating lift, it is stalled as well as other lifting surfaces of the aircraft. The aircraft is then being manuevered via thrust vectoring through our enormously overpowered engines and props. The airflow created by the prop, not the relative air, over the control surfaces is simply vectoring the nose of the aircraft in the desired direction. Many design parameters come into play which dictate controllability and contol authority when in this mode. By this defination a helicopter airframe is always flying in 3d mode. The only thing flying in terms of airfoils are the rotor blades.

Mike Pilkenton
Air Force Flight Test Engineer
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base OH