Glider Lab: Won 1st place :)

Purpose

The purpose of this lab was to create a glider within the original constraints, then modify it until it is able to fly.

Procedure

We started the digital program and then created a new glider and gave it the constraints given to us. We then modified the glider options until it was able to fly.

Design Challenge 1

In this challenge we were given initial constrains in the table below and we were instructed to modify the glider traits until it was able to fly.

Original Constraints

First, I added more length to the fuselage of the airplane, so I could move the stabilizer back to further balance the glider. I then had to change the area/size of both the vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Then I had to further adjust the placement of the wings. Finally I had to add more weight to the nose of the glider to balance out the glider.

Conclusions

1. Explain which glider or aircraft term were difficult to understand and the correct definition.

The aft was difficult for me because I knew it was a directional term; however, I didn’t know which direction it was.

Aft: at, near, or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft.

2. Explain any challenges if someone else were to construct your design using the AERY print.

The values don’t have any keyboard input, only the scroll bar, so people would have an unlikely chance of using the exact values as my glider had.

3. Explain any challenges faced using the AERY software and how you overcame those challenges.

The scroll bar doesn't have a keyboard input, so I had to get as close to the correct whole number values as possible.

Design Challenge 2

In this challenge we were given initial constrains in the table below and we were instructed to modify the glider until it was able to fly.

Purpose

The purpose of this lab is to create a glider withing the original constraints, and then modify it until it is able to fly.

Procedure

We started the program, then created a new glider and gave it the constraints given to us. Then we modified the glider until it was able to fly.

Original Constraints

Conclusions

1. Explain which glider or aircraft term were difficult to understand and the correct definition.

I learned "aft" from the last challenge, so I understood all of the terms presented in this challenge.

2. Explain any challenges if someone else were to construct your design using the AERY print.

They may have a hard time achieving the exact values of the measurements as they are very small and precise.

3. Explain any challenges faced using the AERY software and how you overcame those challenges.

The scroller/number bar has no input function to allow you to enter an exact value, so you have to get the number as close as possible to the target number.

Purpose

In this assignment we are instructed to design and test a fully functioning glider that is within the given constraints.

Underlying Principles

A glider needs to produce enough lift to counter its weight. The faster the glider goes, the more lift it produces for the glider, but to go faster, usually it has to sacrifice altitude and angle down. For lighter gliders such as paper or balsa gliders, they get their speed from the original throw of the glider. For piloted gliders, sometimes a pilot can find a pocket of air that is rising faster than the aircraft is descending, which can make the glider gain altitude.

Design Features↓ ↓ ↓

I designed the wings of my glider after my favorite plane, the p-51 mustang, which has a leading edge sweep angle of 0 degrees. I kept the stabilizer with the more normal leading edge sweep angle, and I decided to use the entire fuselage to increase the length of the glider.

Feasibility

We were only given one piece of balsa wood to work with, limiting our material use/glider size. Because of this, we had to cut/use balsa wood from the same sheet, and if it was damaged, we might not have been able to complete the design.

Conclusion

1. Funding for a new project is always limited in some way. How does the proposal process ensure that the idea being proposed will satisfy the project requirements?

It was designed within all of the given constraints, ensuring no need for extra materials, and fulfilled all requirements of the glider.

2. Projects fail not due to a lack of solid designs but instead due to other issues. Describe these issues and explain how the proposal process ensures that the design with the highest likelihood of success can be selected.

One examples of an issue was a bad piece of balsa wood. One way to avoid this is to feel the balsa wood to make sure it it not spongy or cracked. Another potential issue could be an accidental design error. AERY was a good way to test if there were any errors so we could correct them.

3. Describe the most persuasive elements of your proposal.

I designed my glider to use as much material as possible to ensure a sturdy design and to have a less chance of a small error causing a catastrophe.

4. Explain why someone would have either a positive or negative impression after reading through your proposal for the first time.

I think they would like my glider because it had a sturdy design, flies in AERY, and most importantly looks cool :)

Construction

We used a 3x36 inch balsa wood sheet for the pieces and a longer rod of balsa for the fuselage. I cut out my wings, tail, and vertical stabilizer from the balsa wood sheet, and glued them to the fuselage using hot glue. I then added clay to the nose of the glider to balance out the weight. I also spray painted my glider red and black.

Test Flights

Production Flights

Final Conclusions

Explain the strengths and weaknesses of a competitive trial as a method to identify an optimal design.

There is a potential to have multiple bad flights in a row while simply basing a judgement off of a few tests, also a glider can have a few good flights at one moment, while other do not.

2. Explain differences between your glider’s performance through flight testing that was unexpected based on the AERY software predicted flight characteristics.

I changed the nose weight of the glider, providing a more preferable weight and a better flight to the glider. Also, the tail was "improvised" because it was hard to estimate the exact angles and measurements of everything as it was in a slight V shape.

3. Based on the entire flight test data, from every group, explain what conclusion you can make about optimal glider designs for long-distance flight.

The glider should have larger wings to be able to catch more air underneath them, and the angle at which the glider is shot should be lower, otherwise to wings produce too much lift and it will flip in the air. At a lower angle, the wings provide just enough lift to counter-act the fall of the plane, providing for a smoother and longer flight.

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