SButler
Member
Well, sorry if I haven't read back into the history of the forum well enough, though, I suppose this is kind of a descent question to pose.
What kind of airfoil profile to use?
I've been looking into this for some hours now, actually, I haven't slept because I'm actually getting serious about building an ultralight and am trying to acquire all the knowledge needed.
Building technique is not a problem, I know how to work fiberglass well enough to trust my own wings. Theres' always the glass over foam concept, and then theres' skin. I don't know too much about it, but I can wrap my head around it none the less.
I've no degree in any field of engineering, but have always had a mind geared for it. I've found a simple program on the internet that allows you to adjust the profile of an airfoil and outputs the NACA four digit number corresponding to the airfoil type, from there I've looked up which aircraft these belong too and which exhibit what stall speeds so on so forth. So, I'm curious, which profile is generally used?
I've got access to a large quantity of Sitka Spruce and a saw mill set for 28 ft timber. Plywood would be a little harder to acquire in the thickness (thin'ness perhaps? :grin
that I've read required for building techniques I've read over here.
Southeast Alaska is pretty lax, and I don't believe that if I built something a little over 103 specification that it would be much of a problem, but I do intend on shooting for the 103's limitations.
I also do not have a whole lot of knowledge of flying, I've been in the 'Corps UH-1N simulator twice, and didn't have a problem either time; however, my life would be in my own hands here, amongst the trees, I do have the full set of King Air videos for getting ones' Private Pilot certifications, so those will be scrutinized down to the syllable. I've also the ability to get a ride with bush pilots of the area, dual control deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver's, so some flight training isn't entirely not available.
Anywho, enough ranting, I seem to have lost my point somewhere, well, there isn't any actually. Just the question, what profile do ya'll normally end up using? This is all dependent on overall weight, wing loading, speed range, so on so forth, though, with ultralights this is all nearly set in stone, so I figure the answers of this forum will probably pose a good starting point. Thank you for -any- input, good or bad.
What kind of airfoil profile to use?
I've been looking into this for some hours now, actually, I haven't slept because I'm actually getting serious about building an ultralight and am trying to acquire all the knowledge needed.
Building technique is not a problem, I know how to work fiberglass well enough to trust my own wings. Theres' always the glass over foam concept, and then theres' skin. I don't know too much about it, but I can wrap my head around it none the less.
I've no degree in any field of engineering, but have always had a mind geared for it. I've found a simple program on the internet that allows you to adjust the profile of an airfoil and outputs the NACA four digit number corresponding to the airfoil type, from there I've looked up which aircraft these belong too and which exhibit what stall speeds so on so forth. So, I'm curious, which profile is generally used?
I've got access to a large quantity of Sitka Spruce and a saw mill set for 28 ft timber. Plywood would be a little harder to acquire in the thickness (thin'ness perhaps? :grin
that I've read required for building techniques I've read over here.Southeast Alaska is pretty lax, and I don't believe that if I built something a little over 103 specification that it would be much of a problem, but I do intend on shooting for the 103's limitations.
I also do not have a whole lot of knowledge of flying, I've been in the 'Corps UH-1N simulator twice, and didn't have a problem either time; however, my life would be in my own hands here, amongst the trees, I do have the full set of King Air videos for getting ones' Private Pilot certifications, so those will be scrutinized down to the syllable. I've also the ability to get a ride with bush pilots of the area, dual control deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver's, so some flight training isn't entirely not available.
Anywho, enough ranting, I seem to have lost my point somewhere, well, there isn't any actually. Just the question, what profile do ya'll normally end up using? This is all dependent on overall weight, wing loading, speed range, so on so forth, though, with ultralights this is all nearly set in stone, so I figure the answers of this forum will probably pose a good starting point. Thank you for -any- input, good or bad.
