RCU Forums - View Single Post - roll stability
View Single Post
Old 12-12-2008 | 11:29 AM
  #9  
Craig-RCU's Avatar
Craig-RCU
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 645
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: minneapolis, MN
Default RE: roll stability


ORIGINAL: cncswiss1

why is this thing stable in roll? it flies, and with enough control to fly circuits around the yard, I bet a roll or loop is not out of the question.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8222254/tm.htm]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8222254/tm.htm[/link]

I am completely baffled, my only guess is the chines have some dihedral effect. but the center of mass is way above the center of lift (the sled)..

Roll stability can be caused by having more side surface area above the vertical C.G.. Judging from the pictures of your craft, the vertical C.G. is just above the chines by maybe an inch. Most of the area of your rudder and v. stab. are above the vertical C.G.. So, when your craft rolls a bit and side-slips in that direction the greater surface area above the C.G offers more resistance to the side-slipping than the area below the C.G. thus righting the craft automatically. If you want more roll stability, add more area above the vert. C.G., but keep that added vertical area aft of the longitudinal C.G so you don't sacrifice yaw stability in the process. The chines themselves are probably adding to the roll stability too because they are angled out like wings with extreme dihedral.

From the video it looks like your craft flies a lot like a "pizza box flyer". PBFs are not too different than flying lawn mowers. My PBF was very stable at high angles of attacks (45+ degrees) too and roll-stable at all AoAs. Although it had elevons, I found that I could steer it around quite well with rudder and elevator input only because of this roll stability. In other words, aileron input wasn't necessary to fly it around. Aileron input was only necessary for performing certain aerobatics.

I don't have any video of my PBF, but here are a couple of pictures.
Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version

Name:	Bz79135.jpg
Views:	32
Size:	36.3 KB
ID:	1088137   Click image for larger version

Name:	Ni24465.jpg
Views:	36
Size:	41.7 KB
ID:	1088138