Correction of the lifting-line theory for the effect of the chord

It is shown that a simple correction for the chord of a finite wing can be deduced from the three-dimensional potential flow around an elliptic plate. When this flow is compared with the flow around a section of an endless plate, it is found that the edge velocity is reduced by the factor 1/E, where E is the ratio of the semiperimeter to the span. Applying this correction to the circulation brings the theoretical lift into closer agreement with experiments.