RCU Forums - View Single Post - Scaling to Keep Flying Characteristics
View Single Post
Old 01-10-2012 | 12:09 PM
  #19  
Mlotek
Junior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: Chicago, IL
Default RE: Scaling to Keep Flying Characteristics

Your model will not fly as a full scale aircraft would, as we are all flying in the same air (more or less, density, temperature changes, etc., but lets assume sea level).

Because of your scale length (lets say chord length) and difference of operating speeds, your Reynolds numbers would be different. You could maybe mimic some of the effects with reynolds number matching (probably by playing with the viscosity term) where RE = (Density*Vel*Length)/(kinematic viscosity).

With different Reynold's numbers, you have different effects - at our low RE's you would see different phenomena when compared to high RE 'real' aircraft.

Maybe fly your airplane in honey or vegetable oil?

Cheers