The Gurney Flap

... was invented in the early 1970s by the American racing car designer, and former driver, Dan Gurney. After using it on his cars for many years, Gurney showed it to an aircraft designer, who realised that it could have significant benefits in his industry; he named it after its inventor and introduced it to his peers. It's now routinely used used on aeroplane wings and the horizontal stabilisers of helicopters.

© Haydn Thompson 2017