ORIGINAL: Ben Lanterman
I have never assumed the novice builder is without math or physics skills - only about aerodynamics in particular. I belong to a club that is filled with engineers and tech guys who have no trouble with the math or physics. I always ssume that is the case until the questioner says they can't understand what you are saying. I would think guys at a keyboard have elementary math skills.
This isn't presenting things to a jury (I would hate to be on a jury and felt that I was being talked down to) - it's simply talking aerodynamics. It's a lot more fun when you really understand the details about what is going on. Questions like this one using symmetrical airfoils, factors in real airfoil design (not just drawing curves), etc., are fun and just not that hard to understand. The thing is that aerodynamics isn't magic or wild guessing. It is based in science which most of the guys that post here have had some of.
Why not present it that way? We have disagreed on this before - I can't stand your approach. I just realized why I stopped answering questions months ago.
Ben
You don't have to like my approach-however -based on conducting seminars to model groups and running /conducting mechanical training schools for machinery technicians and preparing and giving testimony to juries - A tech approach tends to "loose the audience". We never talked down to these groups or a jury - that is a sure fire recipe for alienation. We talked to them in conversational English. And notwithstanding your opinion, all the information required can be passed on in this manner.
You are fortunate in having a tech savvy club. My observations are that this is not a typical scenario amongt most modelers.
They are of good intelligence but by and large they are not into tech speak.
Tech speak is great for those who prefer it and it is a excellent method used by professional groups to rapidly exchange precise data -