> It might be worth building a DLG with a Clark-Y airfoil; I don't think > anyone's done it so I don't think we can say its that much worse than any > other foil. (I suspect it will work rather well, especially if there's an > expert flying it.) > > Martin Usher
Martin, There would be a noticeable drop off in launch height and penetration. I'd guess in the neighborhood of 15%. While it's true that in capable hands it would be competitive, there are a lot of capable hands that would steer clear of it. The difference is most dramatic when the speeds are highest right after launch. The Clark Y, especially without a Phillips entry and with a 12% thickness would be a drag, literally. The top aerodynamicists in the country don't have to build the DLG to know that it wouldn't be the best choice. We would see a Clark Y if Dr. Drela or Joe or Dr. Selig thought it would work. It was the venerable choice for the gas bag planes, but they never had to go 80 mph (intentionally). JE -- Erickson Architects John R. Erickson, AIA RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
