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Wing Shapes and Areas Investigations

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If so instructed by your teacher, print out a worksheet page for these problems.

For each of the wing planforms below:

  1. Determine the area of the wing.
  2. Enter the data in the table.
  3. Compute the area for both wings.
  4. Start the FoilSim program.

    a) Set the following conditions:

    Airspeed = 100 mph
    Altitude = 0 feet
    Angle = 0 degrees
    Thickness = 12.5%
    Camber = 0
    Area = 1.0 sq ft

    b) Assume and enter the following for all wing planforms:

    Airspeed = 100 mph
    Altitude = 2000 feet
    Angle = 2 degrees
    Thickness = 1.25%
    Camber = 0

    c) Enter the areas you determined for each aircraft (both wings).

    {Hint: Lift and Area are directly proportional. If the area is over 1000 sq. ft., then divide it by 10 and enter that number. When you get the lift, multiply it by 10 to get the real value!}

  5. Record the lift generated by each entry in your table.
  6. Design, test, and draw a wing planform for a new aircraft. The new aircraft will weigh 11,500 pounds.
    (Use the same settings in FoilSim that you used before. Some experimentation with the wing dimensions will be necessary. Designs must be compound shapes to receive credit.)
  7. Record your data in the table.
  8. Be prepared to "sell your design" to your instructor.

    Slide showing the wing planform and area for several different aircraft

     
    Aircraft:
    Area of one wing:
    Area of two wings:
    Lift Generated:

    Wright Brothers

     

     

     

    Space Shuttle

     

     

     

    F-18 (Blue Angels)

     

     


     

    Boeing 747

     

     

     

    Concorde

     


     

     

    Name of Your Aircraft:

     

     

     

    ( > 11,500 pounds)

     

     

  9. Design Planform for the _____________________________wing:
    (Remember to include dimensions.)

 


Related Pages:
Standards
Worksheet Lesson Index
Aerodynamics Index

 

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Editor: Tom Benson
NASA Official: Tom Benson
Last Updated: Thu, May 13 02:38:38 PM EDT 2021

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