Droop nose (aeronautics)

For other uses, see Droop nose.

The Fairey Delta 2 high-speed experimental aircraft, which had a droop nose that included its cockpit

The droop nose is a feature fitted to a small number of aircraft types so the nose of the aircraft can be lowered during takeoff and landing to improve the pilot's view of the ground below. This feature is used with a very-low aspect ratio wing such as a delta wing. It is installed in aircraft capable of supersonic speeds but is lowered only during low-speed operation such as takeoff and landing.

Droop noses have typically been installed on supersonic airliners such as Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144; and high-speed experimental aircraft, such as the record-breaking Fairey Delta 2 and the Sukhoi T-4 strategic bomber.