{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets: CC BY 4.0. Standard and published-size files: CC BY 4.0. Xem Studio's own designs (files_license = Xem Studio Design License): free to use and sell things from, not to redistribute as files — https://xemstudio.com/license/. Other publishers' files: their own license, linked beside them.",
 "slug": "canard",
 "name": "Canard (foreplane ahead of the wing)",
 "kind": "standard",
 "category": "Aircraft design",
 "group": "Tail configurations",
 "year": null,
 "question": "What is a canard and why do some aircraft put the tail in front?",
 "tags": [
  "vehicle design",
  "tail configurations",
  "rc design",
  "aerodynamics"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "canard",
  "canard aircraft",
  "canard wing",
  "canard rc plane",
  "foreplane",
  "canard vs conventional tail",
  "canard stall",
  "tail first airplane",
  "canard design rules",
  "canard configuration"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": null,
  "width": null,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 1,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/canard/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/canard/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": null,
   "width": null,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "A canard is a horizontal surface ahead of the wing that lifts upward to hold the nose up, instead of pushing down like an aft tail; FAA notes it is theoretically more efficient because it helps carry the weight (PHAK ch.6).",
   "If the canard stalls before the wing, longitudinal stability and stall resistance increase (NASA TP-2623); in NASA's tunnel test, full elevator at mid c.g. could only trim to about 15 deg, below wing stall. At aft c.g. the same model showed a potential deep-stall trim near 53 deg, so c.g. limits matter.",
   "NASA's model needed an outboard leading-edge droop to stop premature wing-tip stall and wing rock (TP-2623).",
   "Used on: Wright Flyer, Piaggio P180, Beech Starship, X-29.",
   "The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "parameter",
    "value or range",
    "source"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "Canard aspect ratio (NASA test model)",
     "11.90 (wing 9.18)",
     "NASA TP-2623"
    ],
    [
     "Trim limit, mid c.g., full elevator",
     "about 15 deg AoA (below wing stall)",
     "NASA TP-2623"
    ],
    [
     "Potential deep-stall trim, aft c.g.",
     "about 53 deg AoA",
     "NASA TP-2623"
    ],
    [
     "Outboard LE droop added",
     "~6% chord extension, ~3% camber on outer 25% span",
     "NASA TP-2623"
    ],
    [
     "Reference build",
     "canard 300 x 60 mm, arm 500 mm ahead of wing",
     "illustrative"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Canard (foreplane ahead of the wing) — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/canard/  (sheet CC BY 4.0; files Xem Studio Design License, https://xemstudio.com/license/)\nBasis: Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nSizes: see table below\n- A canard is a horizontal surface ahead of the wing that lifts upward to hold the nose up, instead of pushing down like an aft tail; FAA notes it is theoretically more efficient because it helps carry the weight (PHAK ch.6).\n- If the canard stalls before the wing, longitudinal stability and stall resistance increase (NASA TP-2623); in NASA's tunnel test, full elevator at mid c.g. could only trim to about 15 deg, below wing stall. At aft c.g. the same model showed a potential deep-stall trim near 53 deg, so c.g. limits matter.\n- NASA's model needed an outboard leading-edge droop to stop premature wing-tip stall and wing rock (TP-2623).\n- Used on: Wright Flyer, Piaggio P180, Beech Starship, X-29.\n- The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle.\n\nparameter  value or range  source\nCanard aspect ratio (NASA test model)  11.90 (wing 9.18)  NASA TP-2623\nTrim limit, mid c.g., full elevator  about 15 deg AoA (below wing stall)  NASA TP-2623\nPotential deep-stall trim, aft c.g.  about 53 deg AoA  NASA TP-2623\nOutboard LE droop added  ~6% chord extension, ~3% camber on outer 25% span  NASA TP-2623\nReference build  canard 300 x 60 mm, arm 500 mm ahead of wing  illustrative\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- FAA: Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25), Ch. 6 Flight Controls — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/08_phak_ch6.pdf\n- NASA Langley (D. Satran): Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Flight Characteristics of a Canard General-Aviation Airplane Configuration, NASA TP-2623 (1986) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19870000606/downloads/19870000606.pdf\n- Kitplanes (B. Wainfan): Wind Tunnel: More Flying Fleas (2017) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.kitplanes.com/wind-tunnel-65/\n- Kitplanes (B. Wainfan): Wind Tunnel: Vortex Generators and STOL Performance (2012) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.kitplanes.com/wind-tunnel-14/\n- NASA Armstrong: X-29 Fact Sheet FS-008 — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/fs-008-afrc.pdf\n\nFree files (Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 1 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/canard/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=canard\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "FAA",
   "title": "Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25), Ch. 6 Flight Controls",
   "url": "https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/08_phak_ch6.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "NASA Langley (D. Satran)",
   "title": "Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Flight Characteristics of a Canard General-Aviation Airplane Configuration, NASA TP-2623 (1986)",
   "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19870000606/downloads/19870000606.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Kitplanes (B. Wainfan)",
   "title": "Wind Tunnel: More Flying Fleas (2017)",
   "url": "https://www.kitplanes.com/wind-tunnel-65/",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Kitplanes (B. Wainfan)",
   "title": "Wind Tunnel: Vortex Generators and STOL Performance (2012)",
   "url": "https://www.kitplanes.com/wind-tunnel-14/",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "NASA Armstrong",
   "title": "X-29 Fact Sheet FS-008",
   "url": "https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/fs-008-afrc.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "tail-volume-coefficient",
  "tail-moment-arm",
  "conventional-tail",
  "t-tail",
  "cruciform-tail",
  "v-tail"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "Why is a canard stall-resistant?",
   "a": "The canard is set to stall first; when it does the nose drops before the wing stalls (NASA TP-2623)."
  },
  {
   "q": "Is a canard more efficient?",
   "a": "Theoretically, because it lifts rather than pushing down (FAA PHAK ch.6)."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": {
  "name": "Xem Studio Design License",
  "holder": "Xem Studio",
  "url": "https://xemstudio.com/license/",
  "note": "Xem Studio's own design: free to use, print, modify and sell things made from it; not to be republished or redistributed as files."
 },
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "canard-tail",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/canard/canard-tail.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/canard/canard-tail.stl",
   "note": "canard layout: horizontal span 300 × chord 60, vertical 120 × 90 mm on a 500 mm boom, NACA 0009 surfaces"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/canard/index.md"
}