Which type of wing tends to stall first at the root?

A rectangular wing is designed with a constant chord along its span, which provides a straightforward aerodynamic characteristic that leads to predictable stall behavior. As the angle of attack increases, the airflow over the wing begins to separate from the airfoil surface, and this separation generally starts at the root, where the wing is thickest and has the greatest lift. This characteristic is beneficial because it allows for better handling in the stall conditions, giving pilots more control over the aircraft.

In contrast, tapered wings, which have a decreasing chord from the root to the tip, tend to stall at the tips first. This is due to the fact that as the wing experiences increasing angles of attack, the airflow over the thinner sections can separate sooner, leading to tip stall, which can be more dangerous due to the potential for loss of control. Swept wings, typically found on high-speed aircraft, also tend to stall from the tips due to their design, which alters airflow and reduces lift at the root compared to the outer sections. Delta wings, characterized by their triangular shape and high angles of attack, experience a more uniform stall across the wing, but also do not have the same stall characteristics as a rectangular wing.

These differences highlight why rectangular wings are known for stalling first