An improvement to forwardly skewed axial fans whereby blade camber and rake are coordinated with skew. The blades are characterized in that a line defined by the points of maximum chordwise camber (f.sub.max) as a function of changing radial position (r) is on the leading edge side of the mid-chord line (M.sub.CL) at values of r toward the root of the blade, and is less forwardly skewed than the leading edge (LE), the mid-chord line (M.sub.CL), and the trailing edge (TE) of said blade; the blade is raked forwardly so that the trailing edge of the blade tip is axially forward of the trailing edge at the blade root; rake (k) increases monotonically as radial position r increases from 0.75R to 1.0R, R being the fan radius; the blade has a relatively large pitch ratio (P/D); and rake is corrected to reflect the chordwise position of maximum camber. As a result, the fan produces a flow that is generally in radial equilibrium having a reduced component of flow normal to the2 desired axial flow and normal to the tangential flow. The coordinated fan can be (but need not be) combined with a housing/band configuration for controlling airflow that recirculates (i.e., counter to the desired axial airflow) in a channel formed between the band and housing.