Airfoils for Tailless Airplanes: Design and Selection

Airplane Types and Moment Coefficient

Moment Coefficient and Airfoil Shape

Reflex and Moment Coefficient

Reflex and Lift & Drag

Location of Camber and Moment Coefficient

Dangers everywhere

Velocity Distribution and Boundary Layer

Airfoil Design for Light Tailless Airplanes

Conclusions

Dangers everywhere

We have already learned, that several parameters, linked closely together, have an influence on the design of a low moment, high lift airfoil. We have not yet talked about the additional problems, introduced by the behavior of the boundary layer.

Problems facing the designer of an airfoil for tailless airplanes.

The Figure above and the enumeration below show the most important parameters and how they are linked together.

• Moving the maximum camber towards the leading edge
  + more stable moment coefficient (more positive).
  - puts more stress on the boundary layer near the leading edge (suction peaks).
• Increasing the amount of camber
  + better lift (Cl vs. Cd shifts towards positive Cl values).
  + Cl-max may be increased.
  - less stable moment coefficient (more negative).
  - puts more stress on the boundary layer (more pressure drop towards the trailing edge).
• Increasing the amount of reflex
  + more stable moment coefficient (more positive).
  - less lift (Cl vs. Cd shifts towards negative Cl values).
  - Cl-max decreases.

Location of Camber and Moment Coefficient

Dangers everywhere

Velocity Distribution and Boundary Layer

Last modification of this page: 21.05.18

[Back to Home Page] Suggestions? Corrections? Remarks? e-mail: Martin Hepperle.

Due to the increasing amount of SPAM mail, I have to change this e-Mail address regularly. You will always find the latest version in the footer of all my pages.

It might take some time until you receive an answer and in some cases you may even receive no answer at all. I apologize for this, but my spare time is limited. If you have not lost patience, you might want to send me a copy of your e-mail after a month or so.
This is a privately owned, non-profit page of purely educational purpose. Any statements may be incorrect and unsuitable for practical usage. I cannot take any responsibility for actions you perform based on data, assumptions, calculations etc. taken from this web page.

© 1996-2018 Martin Hepperle
You may use the data given in this document for your personal use. If you use this document for a publication, you have to cite the source. A publication of a recompilation of the given material is not allowed, if the resulting product is sold for more than the production costs.

This document may accidentally refer to trade names and trademarks, which are owned by national or international companies, but which are unknown by me. Their rights are fully recognized and these companies are kindly asked to inform me if they do not wish their names to be used at all or to be used in a different way.

This document is part of a frame set and can be found by navigating from the entry point at the Web site http://www.MH-AeroTools.de/.

Impressum       Datenschutz