free flight glider design

[Florin777]

Hello.
If someone could help me here I would really appreciate.
I have this school project where I need to design a free flight model out of pink/white foam, after doing research on various designs. My question is what kind of wing shape/design and airfoil for wings and tail is best to use to ensure the longest flight time? I am limited to 2 feet wingspan.
Thanks, Florin

[Sparky Paul]

Look at DLG designs for the most advanced small shapes.

[Ollie]

Hand launch small gliders:
http://www.modelresearchlabs.com/legacy.htm
http://www.modelresearchlabs.com/hand_launch_glider_airfoils.htm
http://www.modelresearchlabs.com/detailed_finishing_of%20HL_Gliders.htm

[cyclops2]

Go to --Walmart-- toy section --and look for the LifeLikeTurbo Jet 2000 glider, 2' WS.

Never flew IT. Have flown the Sky Riders. Fantastic gliders at 4.5' WS.

They also have a Jet Flyer, 12" WS. Basic flat foam plane.

Copy a winner.
EDIT

DO NOT use the Ultra Flyer it is a VERY unstable plane.

[Florin777]

By the way, teacher wants to fuselage made of foam, either white or pink. I guess that kinda sucks for the overal weight and strength of the plane.. was telling him if I could use a carbon rod which is perhaps lighter and flexible, but he doesn't let me do that.
Any idea of a foam fuse with good strength?
Florin

[Ollie]

Pink and blue foam is very bad for a fuselage. So I would not use it for a fuselage. I would design around a flying wing and no tail and no fuselage except for a tab to hold it for hand launch. Use a sweep back wing with 20 to 25 degrees sweep along the 25% chord line and an aspect ratio of 4 to 5. I would use Depron foam of 3 mm to 6 mm thickness. I would taper the airfoil trailing edge to about 1/32" thickness. I would round the leading edge. The airfoil camber of 1% to 2% of chord and a reflexed trailing edge.

[vintage1]

By the way, teacher wants to fuselage made of foam, either white or pink. I guess that kinda sucks for the overal weight and strength of the plane.. was telling him if I could use a carbon rod which is perhaps lighter and flexible, but he doesn't let me do that.
Any idea of a foam fuse with good strength?
Florin

Foam by itself is a bit weak, but if you simply cover it in tissue using thinned white glue, it gets a LOT stronger.

[saucerguy]

Just cut 2 squares, make one 20% of the original size, use cheap, 14" or less foam, you can cut this out of a foam plate. the smaller square is your rudder and should be glued on the end just like any plane.

glue 2 pennies to the front, 1 or less "improv if you have to" if it's smaller then 14" x 16th pressed foam, onto the top section, and take a little time out launching it, you may have to do this from the end likely unless you want to mount a launching tab in the middle and don't mind breaking up the profile. It's very easy to do, if you want it less of a job, ditch the rudder and bend it in the middle giving it a nice "dihedral", would make it fly better with the orignal reference even more so, it will fly as well with or without the rudder, the original task never asked "well", so I will let you decide upon keeping a piece of foam scrap to drop to the ground, "It flew" as a joke before presenting your bird, hehe. If the teacher wants something more sophisticated, point him to anything Roy L Clark on the web....... hehe, immediate A if I posted in time and you followed through.

[Sparky Paul]

.... If the teacher wants something more sophisticated, point him to anything Roy L Clark on the web....... hehe, immediate A if I posted in time and you followed through.
.
That's Roy L Clough, Jr... one of the foremost original thinkers in model aviation.