What does planform refer to?

• A. The shape or form of a wing as viewed from above.
• B. The wing profile as seen from the side.
• C. The arrangement of the landing gear when viewed from above.
• D. The tail assembly from a top-down perspective.

Answer: (C)

Planform is the outline of a wing as seen from above—the horizontal footprint of the wing. It describes the overall shape, including span, chord, taper, and any sweep of the leading and trailing edges. This view tells you how the wing occupies the top-down plane, which influences aerodynamic characteristics like aspect ratio and sweep.

The wing profile seen from the side is a cross-section (airfoil shape), not planform. The arrangement of landing gear or tail assemblies viewed from above are not the planform of the wing.