What is a plank wing?

What is a plank wing?

Basically a plank (in the case of a flying model, not a carpentry term) is a tailless fixed wing aircraft with zero sweep. Usually there is a pod in the center of the wing supporting the motor and battery but not always.

How does a flying wing work?

In short: a flying wing works because it balances airflow and the center of gravity in such as way that no tail is needed. Where a normal wing would adversely flip forwards or backwards when exposed to the oncoming wind, a flying wing is able to counteract this effect with some handy aerodynamics.

Are flying wings more efficient?

The medium size flying wing is 10-20 percent more efficient as a transport vehicle than conventional airplanes, measured in terms of global transport productivity.

Can I fly RC planes in parks?

You can fly your rc plane or drone anywhere below 400 ft, so long as you’re not near an airport, a crowd of people or other sensitive areas, and you’re not infringing local laws. You can’t fly in National Parks, but you can fly in National Forests.

Is it possible to design a flying wing airfoil?

Thus, the one and only “flying wing airfoil” does not exist. However, if we want to design a tailless plane with a wide operating range, the wing should have a small amount of twist only, or none at all, to keep the induced drag at reasonable levels throughout the whole flight envelope.

What stabilizes an unwept wing?

Unswept Wings (Plank) While the horizontal tailplane provides the necessary amount of longitudinal stability on a conventional plane, it is the wing, which stabilizes an unswept wing. In most cases, airfoils with reflexed(s-shaped) mean lines are used on flying wing models to achieve a longitudinally stable model.

How do you calculate the stability coefficient of a wing?

measure for stability is the distance between c.g. and n.p., divided by the mean chord of the wing. Typical values for this number for a flying wing are between 0.02 and 0.05, which means a stability coefficient sigma of 2 to 5 percent. We can express the equilibrium of moments around c.g. for our design lift coefficient by

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