Straight-wing, swept-wing, and ___ are the three basic types of wing configuration.

• A. Canard
• B. Elliptical
• C. Delta-wing
• D. Circular

Answer: (C)

Wing configurations are classified by the planform shape of the main lifting surface. The straight wing is a simple, rectangular or tapered shape that works best at lower speeds. The swept wing angles the wing back to reduce drag and delay shock waves at higher subsonic speeds. The missing third type is the delta wing, which is triangular and provides good performance at very high speeds and high angles of attack, a common choice for supersonic aircraft. Other shapes like canards (forewings), elliptical plans (optimized lift distribution), or circular wings are not counted as the basic trio the question refers to, so the delta wing completes the standard set alongside straight and swept.