This missions for year 2017 competition were more competitive and challenging than previous years. The flight score was formulated by achieving two set goals. The first goal is to fly without payload and the second goal is flying with internal payloads. Smooth landings and time durations are most important factors for our project.
Our foremost priority in the project is to manufacture and design an airplane that is light weight and also can support considerable payload. DBFC is testing engineering skills of participants by imposing limits for the type of motors. So, such an aircraft can only be built by the hard teamwork and synchronization of output from every member of team to optimize the final result. Every team member must cooperate with the team in every field i.e. aerodynamics, CAD modeling, structure analysis and propulsion mechanism.
Different team members were responsible for different tasks according to their field of interest. A systematic approach was used to build aircraft, for example selection of airfoil with best suited lift and drag properties, structure design with optimum strength, low weight properties and selection for component system for propulsion system etc. Keeping DBFC rule in mind the best suited design is selected for aircraft.
Aircraft’s wing and structure was designed to bear induced stresses and have great maneuverability during turning flight. Wings uses airfoil MH114 having and have wing span of 60 inches with the chord length of 12 inches. The selected airfoil has optimum drag and lift coefficients and can be manufactured with great accuracy. The 60 inches’ span can bear load and produces required lift. Material used for the construction of plane’s body is balsa wood. It is light in weight, cheap and easily available. Fuselage is manufactured with varying thickness and is reinforcements at critical points.
There were two missions in this competition as mentioned before. First one was flight without payload this tests the cruising of aircrafts at turn time. For this reason, we have designed a large span of wing, also aircraft has high-wing configuration for stability. Second mission is with internal payload; this payload should not disturb the stability of plane. For this we have designed fuselage in such a way that it would remain fixed in the body of aircraft hence not effecting the center of gravity. The easiest way of lading was through rear of fuselage.
The choices we made for aircraft’s design and its configuration caused the aircraft to stay competitive.