In the computational fluid dynamics analysis of airfoils, a
laminar/turbulent transition location is determined by consideration of a
turbulence length scale in addition to a turbulence intensity. In an
exemplary implementation, the transition is predicted as occurring when a
momentum thickness-based Reynolds number reaches a given exponent of the
factor multiplied by a constant. The factor may consist of the turbulence
intensity multiplied by a momentum thickness and divided by the
turbulence length scale.