Is there an advantage to shaping the tips of 'gyro blades to a more aerodynamically/esthetically shape? Seems like a raked back tip that has the edges rounded would have less drag than just a square cut one.

Hi,

I have molded blades with rounded tapered ends and square cut ends. The only difference that I noticed was the sound as the square cut ends with tend to whistle.

Phil


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Phil...

It would really be cool if the whistling sound could be enhanced.

Bill

I guess it stems from my glider guidin' days but doesn't whistle = drag? Of course, I guess it could be said that the lesser amount of time I invest in blades the better, considering my success rate with autogyros!

Hi Milton...

Gotta respond!! <G> You probably are right about whistling means drag. (Maybe that's why all my fixed wing planes whistle!<G>) Anyway, the drag of an autogyro is so great that in all probability, a rotor that sounded like a siren wouldn't be that much "draggier" than the slickest blades ever produced.

However, it is true that more blade drag would contribute to less easy autorotation.

Please my attempts at humor!!

Bill

Hi,
A little while ago ( if your a senior), or about 25 years if your not , RCM. ran regular articles on small aircraft. In one article on 1/2 A pylon racing they were discussing the merits of low drag wing tips. one had a streamlined (rounded)leading edge wingtip back to wing max camber (about 30 % or so) and then straight back to the trailing edge. they experimented by making up a wingtip and installing it on a aircraft with squared wingtips, they flew the model and they found it yawed to the square wingtip . so i guess that shows if you have the right streamlined tip you reduce drag and increase efficient
Earl.

Hi Earl,

It seems you must be right. I just spend the day at Sun 'N Fun here in Lakeland Florida, which is the 2nd largest air show in the world, and all the new airplane wingtips have some sort of gismo attached. Even the new propeller blades have strange looking tips so there must be something to it. We just need to figure out what will work on our autogyro blades.

Phil