Effects of rainfall on aircraft aerodynamics

Rainfall has been considered as an important meteorological factor to threat aircraft flight safety. Adverse effects of rainfall on aircraft aerodynamics have been a constantly hot subject in meteorological aviation community for decades. This paper presents a systematic and comprehensive overview of the effects of rainfall on aircraft aerodynamics. The overview includes an introduction of rain-induced aviation accidents, a list of the hazards of rainfall to aircraft, the natural characteristics of rain, the existing rain research techniques, some aerodynamic considerations for rainfall simulation and the current state-of-the-art research achievements in the field of effects of rainfall on aircraft aerodynamics. Raindrop impingement, splashback and flow of the formed water film upon lifting surfaces effectively degrade aircraft aerodynamic performance, leading to severe aviation accidents. The previous lessons learned should be disseminated and accepted by later generations to avoid aviation accidents due to flight in heavy rain.