Noun
area rule
A rule stating that an airplane designed with the same cross-sectional area distribution in the longitudinal direction as the Sears-Haack body generates the same wave drag as this body, largely independent of the actual shape; used in aerodynamics to reduce drag, typically by narrowing the fuselage at the wing roots.
April 1955: Whitcomb examines a model aircraft designed in accordance with his area rule. Source: Internet
The Whitcomb area rule, also called the transonic area rule, is a design technique used to reduce an aircraft 's drag at transonic and supersonic speeds, particularly between Mach 0.75 and 1.2. Source: Internet
Radio-transmitted data from these instruments indicated a yield of about 15 kilotons.sfn Comparing this yield to the observed damage produced a rule of thumb called the 5 psi lethal area rule. Source: Internet
Several area rule-dictated features are visible – see text The area rule was immediately applied to a number of development efforts. Source: Internet
The area rule was discovered by Otto Frenzl when comparing a swept wing with a w-wing with extreme high wave drag citation. Source: Internet