RC project for ASU

[rjessee]

Hi I am a Dual major in Pro Flight and Mechanical Engineering at ASU POLY. I was giving the task of the Head Engineer of the design team in my logistics class to design an rc airplane. I have zero rc model experience. The only reason why I was appointed as the Head Engineer is that i have CAD experience. I would greatly like to have the rc plane fly is there has only been two classes that have completed the project well but has never flown for a duration of 20 minutes.

Ok so the design requirements.
Fly for a duration of 20 minutes to an altitude of 100 feet above ground level, with an 8-ounce payload.

The material I get to use is balsawood. I was thinking of a design like a P-38 lightning. Just with one engine.

Please nothing too elaborate. I only have one semester to design, build, test, and write a big report.

[fhhuber506771]

I'm sure there are other design constraints than what you have listed.... If not then you could quite easilly make it work.

Many of our models can lift far more than the 8 oz required and fly more than the 20 min required. For example I have a 17 lb aircraft that carries 24 fl oz of gasoline and I have no doubt I could put 7 lbs of lead in it and it would fly just fine. 24 oz of gasoline is appx 40 to 45 min worth of fuel for this model.


You'll need to read up on the basics of how an airplane flys and how we maintain control of an airplane.

[rjessee]

Sorry we have old electric motor a batteries. I know how a plane flys. They made me learn that before i got my private pilots certificate. I just don't know how to construct alerons for an rc airplane.

[AceMigKiller]

Hehe...
Ask for "Victor Checkcinco"... They'll know where to find me.

And for the record;
There are Three classes that did it.
Our class blew away the only other class to have done it (at that time), but Dr. McCurry was not teaching the class. Unfortunately, our flight time/altitude was never recorded. We exceeded 20 minutes by a long shot :cool:
I still have the plane actually...

[fhhuber506771]

You say you have a motor and battery... no data about the motor or battery

I have a lot of motors.
some weighing under 5 grams and some over 5 lbs...

I have a lot of batteries, from 1.2 volts to 50 volts and from appx 4 grams to appx 5 lbs.

Without information about the actual constraints on the project... there is no way you can get any assistance.

[AceMigKiller]

Don't worry about it, it'll be taken care of.
No need to overcomplicate this thread! :p

[dawg]

A P-38 looking ship might get you some “cool” factor, but it would be not be the easiest for you to build. Rather than one fuselage to construct, you have 2 fuselages and a center pod. Up to you, but a “conventional” design would be the easy way out.

If nobody on your team is an RC pilot, and you don’t plan to enlist one, I expect the biggest challenge will be flying without crashing. You have your full size license, but it’s not the same. To make flying easier, use these tricks.
1) High wing design
2) Generous wing dihedral
3) Low aspect ratio wing
4) Generous sized tail surfaces
5) Lifting airfoil on wing (rather than symmetrical)
6) Light wing loading (don’t over build the structure causing it to be too heavy)

[bwalt822]

I want to elaborate on dawg's low aspect ratio comment.

Low probably means in the 6 range, not 2

Basically make your plane look like a high wing trainer and you should be fine. Its kind of suprising that only 3 teams have successfully built an RC plane, im guessing you have to fly it yourself. If thats the case then design and construction is the least of your worries.