ORIGINAL: IflyPATTERN
1. what is a ''good rule of thumb'' wing area to weight ratio (or just wing loading) for gliders?
2. Which airfoil(s) are best suited for glider-like applications?
3. CG: preferenes for gliders? (i.e. slightly noseheavy/tailheavy)
3. Once I have found the best answers for number 1 and 2, is there any way to use them to determine a maximum alitutude that my design could reasonably be expected to fly at? And yes, I know SEVERAL other factors other than airfoil, wing loading, and CG will influence the answer to number three.
Brandon Landry
1. Big gliders work well at about 14-15oz/sq ft loading. Big ones will be 12-14' span. They'll be around 8-10 lbs. I've ballasted one that size with about 3 lbs and it almost didn't notice. It would outrun the pickup truck we were using to fly a cross country race.
2. Any glider airfoils presently in use will work. There really aren't any magic airfoils. Almost everything that's been flown in contests in the last 30 years will work for your job.
3. Neither noseheavy nor tailheavy. It's dead simple to balance perfectly and excellent reasons to do so.
4. Gliders soar out of sight every season. How far can we see vertically? I've specked out a 2m and a 14'er. Specking out is when you can only see two dots, a big one that's your wing and a small one. When the small one is no longer visible, it's time to hit the spoilers and get back down to where you can see it. Obviously, the 2m wasn't as high as the 14'er. If your job requires altitude, you need something you can see.