Airfoil Primer
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 569
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Edmond,
OK
For those who wish for an excellent, simple explanation some of the various coefficents and Reynold's Numbers used with airfoils:
http://www.dreesecode.com/other/aflprimer.pdf
It's only 13 pages and is well written.
http://www.dreesecode.com/other/aflprimer.pdf
It's only 13 pages and is well written.
#2
that is a good read -- and easy to understand
One noteworthy point -- RN under 200000 are typical of models - actually larger models than the crazy micro foamy stuf so popular .
This goes to my own thoughts on airfoils for small - really light ,small high powered models - the airfoil data many espouse as critical for good performance --simply does not apply.
In this realm - weight , area and power are the critical factors .
I only mention this because when I see advice on how to fix a grossly overweight small model - by altering airfoil --I wonder if the advice giver ever flew a small overweight model --
I beat the drum for blaming weight as the only real culprit on these models -simply because any other fix -short of higher speed has not shown much, if any success.
There is a good article in a recent Quiet Flyer mag --developed in a tunnel and dealing with low RN . So far the only tunnel info I have seen which seems applicable to small stuff.
One noteworthy point -- RN under 200000 are typical of models - actually larger models than the crazy micro foamy stuf so popular .
This goes to my own thoughts on airfoils for small - really light ,small high powered models - the airfoil data many espouse as critical for good performance --simply does not apply.
In this realm - weight , area and power are the critical factors .
I only mention this because when I see advice on how to fix a grossly overweight small model - by altering airfoil --I wonder if the advice giver ever flew a small overweight model --
I beat the drum for blaming weight as the only real culprit on these models -simply because any other fix -short of higher speed has not shown much, if any success.
There is a good article in a recent Quiet Flyer mag --developed in a tunnel and dealing with low RN . So far the only tunnel info I have seen which seems applicable to small stuff.
#3
Senior Member
I told a guy on another forum wanting to upgrade a flat-bottomed glider to something better, looking at some Selig airfoils, to go for the cute one. 

#5
ORIGINAL: Tall Paul
I told a guy on another forum wanting to upgrade a flat-bottomed glider to something better, looking at some Selig airfoils, to go for the cute one.
I told a guy on another forum wanting to upgrade a flat-bottomed glider to something better, looking at some Selig airfoils, to go for the cute one.


#8
Senior Member
ORIGINAL: BMatthews
Yes, "We" noticed that. "We" are debating if you'll be allowed into the MENSA club room any more... 
ORIGINAL: Tall Paul
I told a guy on another forum wanting to upgrade a flat-bottomed glider to something better, looking at some Selig airfoils, to go for the cute one.
I told a guy on another forum wanting to upgrade a flat-bottomed glider to something better, looking at some Selig airfoils, to go for the cute one.


I bet Ollie and Mark spit out their coffee on that one!





