Wing Tip Parallels

Wing tip vortices are circular twister like patterns of air left behind the wing. Each wing will have its own wing tip vortex and as the name suggests each vortex starts trailing from the wing tip. These wing tip vortices are directly linked with induced drag, as the as the wing tip vortex increases in size the drag will become greater. These vortices are created when an aerofoil generates lift, the air will have less pressure on the top of the aerofoil, and therefore the bottom surface of the aerofoil will have greater pressure. As we know the air will flow from the high pressured side (the underside) to the lower pressure side (the top side). The air flows from below the wing out and around the tip of the wing in a circular, curl like motion.