[aerohead]

Originally Posted by freebeard

The [ionized] air is the plasma. It doesn't separate, it accelerates. Locally, under control.


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_actuator

1) The air adjacent to the body needs to be at rest. Zero movement.
2) If it CAN move, it will move in the direction of low pressure.
3) If it's in the aft-body, all the air will move to just ahead of the windshield header.
4) As it does this, the counter-flow will trigger separation, eddies, followed by full-blown turbulence.
5) This separated flow is exactly what is to be avoided.
6) You'd end up with the highest imaginable drag.