Hi all,

I want to experiment with various different design of wings for pattern plane. As for a 2X2 pattern plane what are the qualities dose one look for for a perfect flying pattern plane? of course there are many other factors that can make a plane fly better.. but right now i want to experiment on the wing design. Any suggestions & comments welcome..

Thanks,
Harry

I am going to step out on a limb here and recommend you rule out a Clark Y air foil. After that, you need to figure out desired wing loading and planned speed envelope. Wing position and C/G will determine sweep. This is not an easy question, simply asking shows there is a lot more that needs to be learned. A simple air foil type, say, one of the NACA types, is just one of many decisions pertaining to wing design. There aren't a whole lot of successful designers, when you eliminate the copycats and kit bashers. There is a reason for that.
Brian

Yes i agree.. Brian, There are many kit bashers who are coming up with a similar looking pattern planes in the market. I really want to experiment with many different types of wing form & fuselage types rather than just going with the usual style or just copying it & then slightly modifying the look makes no sense, basically i have come across few software which helps us generate results for drag & other very detail aerodynamic characteristics of the wing & fuselage design.

What I am learning about the pattern community is that the perfect flying pattern plane is a moving target depending on which pilot or competitor you are asking LOL! The perfect flying pattern plane for the Sportsman-Intermediate pilot may have qualities that the Masters-FAI level pilot finds undesirable. Some guys just want to be able to fly fast, especially against the wind, and if the airframe is not designed to do so it will fall short of perfection. The newer competitor may want a wing that is more forgiving as the lower sequences do not have snaps or spins; from Advanced on up, wings that snap and spin precisely are a desired quality and that changes the compromises the designer will make in the first place. Who are you designing your pattern plane for and what qualities do they consider perfect? And if those qualities are in common with a lot of other competition pilots, is it possible that the designs that one can conceive of may share many characteristics with the already successful designs out there? All this from a pilot, not a designer, so you guys know more about it but - who is the guy who will judge perfection - that's the one to keep in mind right?

Hi Harry (highly3D), Let me try to understand. Were you seeking honest advice and guidance? It appears there are some that only want to lecture and "give lessons"! Regards, Everette

I am talking about the FAI class F3A planes.

Dana,

There are no airplanes that were truly designed for the lower classes. They may be seeking a price point that is geared toward that market, but the performance of the plane isn't geared toward the lower classes.

Harry,

I think, in my experience, all pattern planes are a compromise in some way. If there was one perfect plane, we would all be flying it. Some planes roll better than others, while some may snap better than others. Different wing planforms, thicknesses and such can all have an influence on this. Most designers I believe tend to look at their weaknesses, and yes, everyone has them, and then they design a plane that may help with their weaknesses, while accepting that their strengths will overcome any deficiencies that compromise may cause. I am very interested to hear your findings on this. I know from experience, some planes, just fit my personal style of flying better than others. I chose the Nuance this year, as it flies naturally slower that my Winds did, and even slower still than my glow planes did. This forced me to work on a new style, which I'm very happy with, one that I was never able to become comfortable with using other planes, as they are just happier at faster speeds.

Arch