The **fly-end** is the free vertical edge of a flag, opposite the hoist. It is the edge most exposed to wind, and on flags in regular use it is often the first portion to fray; many service flags are hemmed or reinforced at the fly-end for this reason. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with ‘fly’, although strictly the fly is the half of the field and the fly-end is the edge itself.
**Example**: The fly-end of a swallow-tailed pennant is cut into two tapering points rather than left as a straight edge.
**See also**: [fly](/glossary/fly/), [hoist-end](/glossary/hoist-end/), [swallow-tail](/glossary/swallow-tail/), [pennant](/glossary/pennant/)