Separation (aeronautics)

Imagine you are playing with a ball and you throw it towards a wall. The wall is like an airplane and the ball is like the air flowing over the airplane's wings. When the ball hits the wall, it can bounce back, just like the air can bounce off the airplane's wings. But sometimes, if you throw the ball at the wall really hard, it might stick to the wall instead of bouncing back. This is called "sticking" or "stalling" and it can happen to airplanes too.

"Separation" in aeronautics means making sure that the air flowing over an airplane's wings doesn't stick or stall, because that can make the airplane lose lift and control. To prevent separation, engineers design the shape of the airplane's wings and control surfaces (like flaps and ailerons) to keep the air flowing smoothly over them. They also make sure that the airplane is flying at the right speed and angle of attack (which is the angle between the wings and the oncoming air) to prevent separation.

When an airplane is flying, it is very important that the air flowing over its wings and control surfaces is smooth and doesn't stall. If separation occurs, the airplane can lose lift and control, which can be extremely dangerous. So, to keep everyone safe, pilots and engineers work hard to prevent separation and make sure that the airplane stays in control while flying.