Re:Aerodynamic obsessiveness

From: Brant Fredrickson <brantfredrickson_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 15:23:34 -0500

Nick,
There is a NFFS paper out there that Ray Harlan wrote on the drag components
of a indoor model. Basically Ray reports on the measured components of total
drag. He breaks them down into the following.
1. pressure drag - that do to the frontal area of the model components
2. induced drag - that do to the total lift of the model surfaces
3. skin friction - that do the all the surface area of the model components.
He shows skin friction as the dominant component of the total drag and
pressure drag to things like the wing posts as a minor component. I am not
technical enough to determine if the story Ray tells in his paper is the
real scoop, but it is supported by many comments I have hear from other
veteran flyers and the little experience I have watching the flights of my
sons' SO indoor models.

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Received on Sun Jan 28 2007 - 12:23:38 CET