AN INVESTIGATION INTO PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF A SPORTS-CLASS SAILPLANE BY USE OF TURBULATOR TAPES

Authors

  • R. Baker

Keywords:

Aerodynamics, Design

Abstract

Can turbulator tapes enhance the performance of sports-class sailplanes? There have been figures quoted for the positioning of turbulator tapes on the wings of several sports-class sailplanes. Proving them is not usually reported in detail (exception being the Althaus/Astir report in 'Soaring' and that was not confirmed by inflight testing). Thcre is no doubt that the use of turbulators can influence the profile drag of earlicr laminar flow profiles, used on sports- class sailplanes, and that the average pilot can prove tlns usnrg the Johnson method of drag testing. Thc high cost of very high aerotows will however prevent most pilots from producing new polar curves that would substantiate the drag reduction. Thercfore therc is a very real need for a mathematical solutioll to Johnson type profl e drag measuring that will convert the results into L/D figurcs.

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Issue

Vol. 20 No. 3 (1996)

Section

Articles

License

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