Every time I go on a plane I wonder why there are those little flaps on the engine facing the fuselage, does anyone know what this is and why there are two of them on the a320 family?
What? Do you mean that “Do not step” metal sheet?
yeah there is this panel sticking out of the engine towards the cabin and it says no step on it I can post a pic of it from a model if you want
A picture would be great! That would help us to exactly identify it :)
I don’t know exactly, I think it is just to disrupt the airflow to make it slightly more efficient.
credits to http://www.boeingimages.com/archive/Front-View-of-787-Engine-2JRSXLJXCWMI.html
its the thing on the top left of the engine
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It’s a vortex generator
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Air after hitting the engine nacelle can be quite turbulent and unstable, so the surface is there to smoothen the air that passes over the wing after hitting the nacelle.
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Oh wow, that is interesting. I haven’t realized that before! I just thought it disrupts the airflow to direct it in a different direction to make it more efficient.
Airplanes are covered in them. You will normally see VG’s on wings or flaps to help keep airflow from separating over different areas. You will see them on engines or fuselages to reduce interference drag.
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