This was sent in from our good friend Pat Libby (designer of the new Yak-54 foamy and some of those great helis). He asked me to post this tutorial and hopefully we can get some discussion about it from the AFP(D) modelers and anyone else interested.
Thanks a lot Pat for this tutorial and I'm sure anyone who reads it and would like to create some of their own airfoils appreciates it!
Creating new airfoils in AFPD.
In the IPAC’s folder is another folder labeled “Aircraft.” Inside the aircraft folder is yet another folder labeled “Airfoils.”
#1 Open the Airfoil folder.
#2 Take any one TMA airfoil file then copy it and paste in the same location.
#3 Rename the TMA file what ever you like. (EXAMPLE: New Airfoil)
#4 Open the new TMA file in WordPad.
#5 Inside the TMA file at the very top you will see the airfoil name. Rename the airfoil within the quotes with no space between the quotes. The name must be exactly the same as your new TMA file.
[AIRFOIL]
Name = "New Airfoil"
#6 Delete all the number COORDINATES bellow the word [COORDINATES]
[COORDINATES]
1.00000 0.00084
0.99624 0.00116
0.98869 0.00179
0.98075 0.00244
0.97268 0.00310
0.96458 0.00375
0.95649 0.00441
0.94839 0.00505
#7 Paste your new coordinates in replacement of the old coordinates and “Save” file.
You’re done! The new airfoil will then appear in aerofly’s chooseable airfoils.
There are many ways to obtain airfoil coordinates. One way is to find them online like these sites.
http://www.charlesriverrc.org/articl...t-airfoils.htm
http://www.nasg.com/afdb/list-airfoil-e.phtml At this site just double click the airfoil you’d like and then click on Contour Data. The coordinates will then be listed. Select and copy only the numbers.
I also use airfoil plotting programs like Profili to design my own airfoils and then export the airfoil as a .cor file where I can open the file in wordpad and grab the coordinate’s numbers (copy and paste.) With this program you can also just export any of the existing 22,000 plus airfoils included in the program.
http://www.profili2.com/eng/default.htm
If you plan to publish or sent your models remember to send the new .TMA airfoil file along with instructions on where to install them.