Aerowerx
Well-Known Member
There seems to be some renewed interest in canard designs.
Somewhere around here I have a few research papers on the optimum placement of close coupled canards. But these are on trans-sonic or supersonic fighter aircraft and, I believe, are non-lifting canards.
In my readings, I have picked up a little bit of info on "long coupled canards" as typically used in aircraft that we would be using. They are usually lifting canards, providing 20%-30% of the total lift (and, yes, they can also work as a control surface). They are located (approximately) 2 or 3 wing chords ahead of the main wing. Typically high aspect ratio. The angle of incidence is such that they stall before the main wing. The CG should be 15% to 20% of MAC ahead of the aerodynamic center.
You can also have high wing, low wing, mid wing, and high canard, low canard, mid canard.
Yes, the canard will affect the performance of the main wing but, as with the trans-sonic close coupled canards, my feeling is that there is an optimum location. One concern is to lower the landing speed without sacrificing the "stall-less" behavior.
So, my question is: Does anyone know of any research that has been done on the optimum design of long coupled lifting canards on "low speed" GA aircraft?
Somewhere around here I have a few research papers on the optimum placement of close coupled canards. But these are on trans-sonic or supersonic fighter aircraft and, I believe, are non-lifting canards.
In my readings, I have picked up a little bit of info on "long coupled canards" as typically used in aircraft that we would be using. They are usually lifting canards, providing 20%-30% of the total lift (and, yes, they can also work as a control surface). They are located (approximately) 2 or 3 wing chords ahead of the main wing. Typically high aspect ratio. The angle of incidence is such that they stall before the main wing. The CG should be 15% to 20% of MAC ahead of the aerodynamic center.
You can also have high wing, low wing, mid wing, and high canard, low canard, mid canard.
Yes, the canard will affect the performance of the main wing but, as with the trans-sonic close coupled canards, my feeling is that there is an optimum location. One concern is to lower the landing speed without sacrificing the "stall-less" behavior.
So, my question is: Does anyone know of any research that has been done on the optimum design of long coupled lifting canards on "low speed" GA aircraft?
