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Span loading and Aspect Ratio vs glide ratio

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leviterande

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Messages
133
Location
Danmark
Hi everyone!

To illustrate my question lets just try an exaggeration :

2 airplanes with the same span loading, both have equal wingspans and equal gross weights. One has an AR of 1:1 while the other has an aspect ratio of 10:1. Which one has the better glide in power off mode ?


I found some mixed results from how span loading, wignloading, aspect ratio compare.
From this forum and many other websites, it seems mostly that the "aspect ratio" is the the deciding factor, while on other websites like Wikipedia (The induced drag equation
beee3b58e12ccd0df7506c5301ea8c3e.png
) it seems that wing area is the deciding factor in how much induced drag there is (ha?).

In one other source, we are told that it is the span loading and not the aspect ratio that matters?. I made some crude x-plane models and it seems that aspect ratio is the deciding factor(?) (but I could have very well screwed up, ending up in far from optimal parameters).

I made some small paper plane models and it seems that it is the span loading that matters? I am a little confused in this area so, which factor is important here , that is, for equal wingspans and equal gross weights(equal span loading) but different AR, will the two planes glide equally or not?

Personally I think it is the span loading but I am far from sure.


Thanks
 
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