Airfoil Data
APEX16

The Apex 16 (normalized using XFOIL date021206) is a 8.8% chord-thickness airfoil with a maximum camber of 4.4% at 44% chord, suited to general-aviation and UAV wing design. At zero angle of attack the cambered geometry generates positive lift, giving an estimated zero-lift angle of -4.4°.

Thin airfoil theory predicts a stall angle near 11.8° and a peak lift-to-drag ratio around 60 at typical UAV and light-aircraft Reynolds numbers — useful benchmarks before running a full XFOIL or NeuralFoil polar. The slim profile minimises pressure drag at higher speeds but leaves limited spar depth for structural integration.

The APEX16 appears in the wing design of at least 1 documented aircraft — notably by NASA. Its proven track record across rotorcraft designs makes it one of the more field-validated profiles in the UIUC database.

Designers evaluating the APEX16 typically compare it against profiles of similar thickness: GOE 134 (MVA H.12) AIRFOIL, NACA 63(2)A-015, RONCZ LOW DRAG FLYING WING AIRFOIL, PSU 94-097 (AIAA 2001-2478), EPPLER 378 AIRFOIL. The NPL AIRFOIL FROM ARC CP 1372 is another reference profile frequently considered alongside it.