THE YAW STRING METHOD OF TINKERING WITH SAILPLANE WING DESIGN

Abstract

I know you won't believe this, but I actually fine-tuned my Ventus B wing to my style of flying by putting turbulator tape at different test positions on the upper surface of the outer 12 feet of one wing and recording the amount of good and bad yaw at low and high airspeeds. When I found the desired compromise chordwise position, I put tape on the entire wing. I wouldn't waste your time reporting the small amount of change to an already outstanding Ventus wing, except I believe the test method is well worth spreading around. Any sailplane owner who wants to tinker with turbulator tape on his wing can use it. It does not require a great background in aerodlmamics, sophisticated test instruments, or getting oil in your aileron seals. It just requires an inquiring mind and the time to make multiple test flights. I tinkered for most of two soaring seasons of pleasure flights, and no flight was devoted entirely to this test.