Autodidact
Well-Known Member
How efficient - in terms of induced drag and trim drag - are aerobatic planes with symmetric airfoils, when compared to aircraft of similar size, configuration, wing loading and aspect ratio but with cambered airfoils? For instance, I'm looking at TOWS and a NACA 0012 has a max lift coefficient of 1.6 and a drag coefficient of 0.0065 @ Cl of 0.4, while the NACA 2415 has those exact same numbers. The NACA 23012, which also has an almost zero moment coefficient and the same thickness as the 0012, has a little higher max Cl, but the drag at 0.4 Cl is the same. The NACA 4412 is also about the same drag with a slightly higher max Cl as is the 2412.