Design, Fabricate and Flight Test

Prof. Dr. Ashraf Ali Omar

ALL TABLES AND FIGURES IN THE FOLLOWING SLIDES ARE

TAKEN FROM Raymer D. P, (1999) “Aircraft Design: A
Conceptual Approach”, 3rd edition, AIAA Education Series.
INTRODUCTION
Presentation Layout

Objectives
Design process
Construction process
Optimization
Flight test
stability, landing gear, aircraft performance
Cost Estimation
OBJECTIVES
To design, fabricate and perform a flight test on a
remote controlled aircraft.

To evaluate the performance of the finalized aircraft

design.

To create a remote controlled aircraft that is capable

of carrying instrumentations for further research and
study.
DESIGN PROCESS
Specifications
Design Goals: Data chosen must be the specifications for the
propeller homebuilt aircraft with single engine.

Main Materials Fabrication: Foam and Fiber Glass and Carbon

Fiber

Performance:

Estimated weight : 6 kg Range: 10 000 ft

Maximum velocity: 91 ft/s Takeoff velocity: 49 ft/s
Stalling velocity : 39 ft/s Cruise velocity: 69 ft/s
Rate of climb : 10 ft/s Altitude: 1000 ft
Endurance : 30 min
Concern on…

Weight Estimation
Airfoil selection
Initial sizing
Aerodynamics
Center of gravity
Stability analysis
Power estimation
Weight Estimation (mission Profile)
Weight Estimation

Wcrew  Wpayload
Wo 
 Wf   We 
1     
 Wo   Wo 

where W payload  0.6615 lb, Wcrew  0

0.6615
hence, Wo 
0.945  1.15Wo 0.09
Eq. solve using Guessing Method
Solution: W0=15.043 lb
Airfoil Selection
Factor Consider during A/F Selection
1- Low profile drag
2- High lift-to-drag ratio for economy in
cruise have to be considered.

NACA 4415, was chosen due to its simple

and easy to fabricate and also because of
high Cl/Cd value.

Design Cl=1.1, Cd=0.0115 and α=8º

Selection of Aspect Ratio
AR=6
Initial Sizing (Wing)

Wing Vertical Location: High wing

configuration was Selected

Justification: Apart from its easiness to

assemble, its low-slung fuselage allows
the fuselage to be placed lower to the
ground. The high wing configuration is
also more stable in terms of lateral and
rolling motion.
Initial Sizing (Wing)

Wing Tip: Cut-Off Tip

Apart from its easiness to fabricate
and a simple design, it is offer less
drag, due to the sharp edges where
the upper and lower surfaces end.
Initial Sizing (Wing)

Wing dihedral
Wing Loading (W/S)
(W/S)Stall = 1.79 lb/ft2
(W/S)Takeoff = 1.411 lb/ft2
(W/S)Climb < 39.79 lb/ft2
(W/S)curise = 1.58 lb/ft2

(W/S)Design: Since the lowest wing loading

is the takeoff wing loading, it is selected as
the wing loading as design loading

(W/S)design =1.411 lb/ft2

Initial Sizing (Wing)

Wing Sweep Angle: Zero sweep

suitable for low speed fly

Taper Ratio (λ): Rectangular wing

shape, λ=1

Wing incidence: Recommended value

for low speed A/C 2º
Wing Area, Span and Chord
W S  takeoff
 1.411lb
ft 2

Wo  15.043 lb →S=10.66 ft2

b A S
 6 10.66 →b=8 ft

2S
Cr 
b 1   
2 10.66  →C=1.33 ft

8 1  1
Wing Final Configuration
 Initial Sizing (Tail)
Aspect and Taper Ratio

Vertical tail : AR=8, λ=0.6

Horizontal tail : AR=3, λ=1
 Tail Sizing
Tail volume coefficient

Design Parameter: CHT=0.5 CVT=0.04

Vertical Tail Dimension
T-tail: The vertical tail coefficient must be reduced by
about 5% due to the end-plate effect, CVT=0.038
LVT SVT
CVTnew 
bW SW

LVT  60% L fuselage

 0.6  6.343
→SVT=0.825ft2
 3.806

b  A S
 0.8  0.851 =0.825 ft, Cr=1.289 ft Ct=0.773ft
Horizontal Tail Dimension
T-tail: The Horizontal tail coefficient must be reduced
by about 5% due to the end-plate effect,
CVT=0.475
LHT S HT
CHTnew 
C W SW
b= 2.304 ft,
LHT  60% L fuselage C=0.768 ft
 0.6  6.343
 3.806

CHT new C W SW
Thus, S HT 
LHT
0.475 1.33 10.66 =1.769 ft2

3.806
Initial Sizing (Fuselage)
Fuselage Length

a  3.5, C  0.23, Wo  15.043 lb

Lf=6.343 ft
Thus,
L  aWoc Ltail arm  60% L Lta=3.81 ft
 3.5(15.043)0.23
 60%  6.343
Fuselage Dimension using AAA
software
Tire Size

WW=90% (W0/No. of Tires)

Tire Dimension
 Aerodynamics (Drag Estimation)

Total Parasite Drag Coefficient (for

wing, tail, fuselage and gear drag)
CDo  C Do wing   CDotail   CDo fuselage  CDo gear 


 1.05 11.640  10 3   897.184 106  14.985 103   0.0132  1.394  103 
CD0=0.0441

Induced Drag Coefficient: K=0.061

Power Estimation

CD  CDo  KCL 2
  44.1103    0.061 0.99 
2

 103.886 103

1
D V 2 SCD
2
1
  0.2367  102   68.9  10.66  103.886 103 
2

2
 6.222 lb
Power Estimation
R PA  PR

C Wo

PA  R C  W   P
o R


10 15.043   6.222  91
550

PA=1.3 hp
Proposed power for airplane is 2 hp
 Center of Gravity
(Load Distribution)

Center of gravity, x = 2.837 ft

Wing Placement
Stability and Control

Longitudinal static stability:

dCm/dα < 0
Cm versus alpha

0.15

0.1

0.05
Cm

Series1

0
-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

-0.05

-0.1
alpha
Landing Arrangement
Perforamnce
CONSTRUCTION
PROCESS
Materials
Styrofoam Transmitter, receiver
Hot wire cutter and and servos
power supply Aircraft accessories
Carbon and glass (pushrod, clevis, control
fiber horn, fuel tank)
Epoxy Resin and Bolts and nuts
hardener 3 rubber wheels
Peel ply Spinner, engine and
Epoxy Glue propeller
Thinner Templates (airfoil and
Brush circular shape)
Foam cutting Lay up process
Complete wing

Lay up process
WING
CONSTRUCTION
Wing section

Assembling Assembling
Wing spar slot
Foam cutting Lay up process

Complete T-Tail

T-TAIL
CONSTRUCTION

Lay up process
Assembling
 FUSELAGE
CONSTRUCTION