Goldwing-RCU

Is there a "rule of thumb" for the area of the wing for a specific wing area? For example is a 10 lbs plane with 800 sq inches of wing area a good number? the more weight and less wing area obviously equals higher landing and take off speeds so I was trying to learn for each pound of weight what should the wing area be. (not factoring in obviously the wing design - rough numbers is what I'm talking) Wow, hope i got all the bases covered!

Thanks,

Sheldon

adam_one

I prefer to use the cubic wing loading, a reference that is not dependent on the model size.
A plane with 10 lbs and 800 sq inches of wing area (28.8 oz/sq.ft wing loading) has a cubic loading of 12.22 oz/cu.ft, which is somewhat above the average trainer model (7 to 9 oz/cu.ft).

RAPPTOR

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I PREFER CUBIC MYSELF.. I DONT COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND ,WHY ,BUT IT WORKS FOR ME ,, JETS GO AS HIGH AS, 90OZ.---- AND STILL FLY COOL!! --RD

adam_one

I see you don't completely understand...
Given enough power, almost anything can be made to fly - the question is how...

Nevertheless, landing is an inevitable part of the flight and the heavier your toy is the higher the landing speed has to be... and the longer the runway, unless it has brakes which is more expensive...

Jack Hyde

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Various kinds of planes like different wing loading. Planes with high wing loading need to fly faster , land faster, make larger radius turns and loops. Light wing loaded planes , eg 3d planes, fly slowly, land at a walk, loop in a few feet. I have some .40 size 3d planes with 800 sq inches wing area and weigh 4 lbs. Similar planes in .6 size have 1000 inche wings and weigh 6 lbs . Thy have higher loading but fly like the smaller , lighter loaded planes. Fast .4 planes may weigh 5 lbs and have 400 inch wings. They land fast, make bigger loops and fly fast.

A plane must fly fast enough that the wing area times velocity squared times other constant stuff generates lift equal to the weight of the plane. If we have a big plane with w/a = 20 and a plane half as large with the same load they will have the same minimum flight speed to lift the planes. But the larger plane will appear to fly slower than the small plane.

For .4 size planes w/a = 10 to 15 3d, floaters
= 30 fast planes

1.2 size w/a = 15 to 25 3d
= 50 fast

Warbirdz01

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Goldwing.........using your example....for "General Purposes".......If you convert the 10 lbs to 160 oz. and then convert 800 sq.inches to roughly 5.6 pounds , then by dividing the 160 oz. by 5.6 lbs you'll get roughly 29 oz/sq.ft. wing loading........I fly large Warbirds but my uderstanding is the trainer types and aerobatic types fall in the 20oz/sq.ft. to around 30 oz./sq.ft.......your example falls in that area...........most of all my warbirds are in the 45oz/sq.ft. to 55 oz./sq.ft. range.........the big difference with the higher wingloadings is Take-off and Landing...........where you can get away with doing quick take-offs and high G manuevers with the great flying Aerobatic planes.............not going to do that with a Warbird.......so it takes some time to learn the characteristics of whatever kind of plane you choose to fly.............remembering as the wingloadings increase, so do Take-off speeds , stall speeds and landing speeds..............Bill

Warbirdz01

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Goldwing.......didn't read my own post............should be 5.6 sq.ft...............OOPS!!!!!