I've got a relatively simple question for the people who understand more about the Fauvel style flying wings and related structures than I do.
Like a LOT of people on HBA, I am quite interested in the little Debreyer Pelican powerplane, which is essentially a clip-wing derivative of the Fauvel AV-36 glider. It has the potential to become a very economical little runabout airplane with very low operating cost.
The original Debreyer designs (wooden JCD-02 and composite JCD-03) had a 3 meter (118 inch) span center section, 2 meter tip panels, and small wingtips... yielding a little over 7 meter wingspan. The two vertical fins were mounted at the outboard ends of the center section.
Here in the USA, we have a 102 inch maximum trailer box width. So if a Fauvel/Pelican style aircraft were built with an 8 foot (96 inch) center section, it is possible to put this type of aircraft into a roadable width trailer that is only about 10 or 12 feet long. This means that the center section is 22 inches narrower, and the outboard wing panels are 11 inches more span, in order to arrive at the same total wingspan as the original.
If the aircraft were changed around to this shorter center section, the vertical fins would be a little closer together, however I do not think they would be close enough to affect the propeller in/out flow.
If the center section was 22 inches shorter, the outboard wing panel attach fittings would have to be a little bit beefier, because the fittings are also closer to the center of the aircraft, and the outer wing panels will exert more loads on those joints.
SO, here's my question - If such an aircraft were to be designed (a Pelican-ish Fauvel derivative with an 8 foot center section instead of 3 meters), does anyone know whether :
1) these changes would create any structural problems/challenges other than having to re-engineer the wing attach fittings for the new bending loads?
2) there would be any negative aerodynamic or handling issues arising out of the small change in wing planform, taper ratio, etc?
Assumptions for this scenario:
A- Wing root and tip chord remains equal to original (proven) Pelican
B - Vertical fins/rudders remain identical size as original Pelican
C - Stress/structural engineering brain power (for wing fittings) is available when needed, from a well-qualified guy
Like a LOT of people on HBA, I am quite interested in the little Debreyer Pelican powerplane, which is essentially a clip-wing derivative of the Fauvel AV-36 glider. It has the potential to become a very economical little runabout airplane with very low operating cost.
The original Debreyer designs (wooden JCD-02 and composite JCD-03) had a 3 meter (118 inch) span center section, 2 meter tip panels, and small wingtips... yielding a little over 7 meter wingspan. The two vertical fins were mounted at the outboard ends of the center section.
Here in the USA, we have a 102 inch maximum trailer box width. So if a Fauvel/Pelican style aircraft were built with an 8 foot (96 inch) center section, it is possible to put this type of aircraft into a roadable width trailer that is only about 10 or 12 feet long. This means that the center section is 22 inches narrower, and the outboard wing panels are 11 inches more span, in order to arrive at the same total wingspan as the original.
If the aircraft were changed around to this shorter center section, the vertical fins would be a little closer together, however I do not think they would be close enough to affect the propeller in/out flow.
If the center section was 22 inches shorter, the outboard wing panel attach fittings would have to be a little bit beefier, because the fittings are also closer to the center of the aircraft, and the outer wing panels will exert more loads on those joints.
SO, here's my question - If such an aircraft were to be designed (a Pelican-ish Fauvel derivative with an 8 foot center section instead of 3 meters), does anyone know whether :
1) these changes would create any structural problems/challenges other than having to re-engineer the wing attach fittings for the new bending loads?
2) there would be any negative aerodynamic or handling issues arising out of the small change in wing planform, taper ratio, etc?
Assumptions for this scenario:
A- Wing root and tip chord remains equal to original (proven) Pelican
B - Vertical fins/rudders remain identical size as original Pelican
C - Stress/structural engineering brain power (for wing fittings) is available when needed, from a well-qualified guy
