In aviation, the concepts of angle of incidence and angle of attack play pivotal roles in understanding how aircraft navigate the skies. Though often confused, these terms describe different aspects of an aircraft's orientation and interaction with the air it moves through. The angle of incidence is a fixed parameter, defined as the angle between the aircraft's longitudinal axis (running from nose to tail) and the chord line of the wing at the wing root. This angle remains constant regardless of the aircraft's attitude during flight.

Conversely, the angle of attack is dynamic, describing the angle between the chord line of the wing and the relative airflow encountering the aircraft. This angle varies with the aircraft's attitude, changing as the pilot adjusts the flight path upwards or downwards. Notably, aircraft designers often implement a design feature known as washout—reducing the angle of incidence from wing root to wingtip. This intentional twist helps maintain stability and control during stalls by ensuring that the wingtip maintains smoother airflow and effective aileron operation, even as the rest of the wing approaches or exceeds the critical angle of attack. Through these nuanced design considerations, pilots can achieve safer and more stable flight under a variety of conditions.