If you've ever preflighted an airplane, you probably noticed small wedge-shaped strips on the front of the wing. They're called stall strips, and they're a pretty important p… See more

When air approaches the leading edge of your wing, it divides. Some air flows over the top of the wing, and some flows under the bottom. The spot where the airflow splits is call… See more

Stall strips begin working when your wing is at a high angle of attack. Because the stagnation point is on the underside of the wing, air flows up and around the leading edge, maki… See more

There's an added benefit to stall strips: wing buffeting. Because the small section of wing behind the strip stalls before the rest of the wing, you'll feel a buffet from airflow separation … See more

The next time you head out to the airport, check out the leading edges of the airplanes on the ramp. You'll find almost every kind of aircraft with stall strips, from training air… See more