How to design your own model?

[andyg]

Wheres the absolute best place to start if you would like to design and build your own model? THANKS

[Ollie]

Why?
The absolute best place to start if you would like to design and build your own model is why you want to do it. Why you can bring talents to design and build it? Drawing? Read plans? Experience of building? Structure? Aerodynamics? Art? Kind of model? Size? Cost? Risk? Kits? Scratch? Improving other designer's models?

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268953

[slipstick]

The best starting point is to build and/or study carefully lots of other people's designs. Then decide and write down exactly what you want from your particular plane. Then you can start thinking about materials and techniques.

Steve

[erikdahlchriste]

I would do it (and does) this way

settle on:
1) purpose (thermal, speed, aerobatic)
2) building technique (composite, old fasion, mixed)
3) size (span)
4) airfoil to suit the porpose
5) find something that looks like what is on your paper and buy it or:

5) draw it
6) build it

cheers

Erik Dahl Christensen
Denmark
www.gliders.dk

[Tomcat Tech]

A good place to start if you're thinking of designing your own aircraft is with the basic proportion ratios, wing loading and power to weight ratios.
There have been numerous articles written providing basic model parameters and ratios helpful in design. A look through some old RCM magazines or a search on the web may provide the information you're looking for. Here is a helpful link I found some time ago. It may be useful to you.

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/hobby/pmdesign.htm (http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/hobby/pmdesign.htm)

Designing and flying your own machine is one of the most rewarding aspects of this hobby that is often lost now with all the pre-fabs and ARF's on the market.

Good luck!!