New Airfoil‐Design Concept with Improved Aerodynamic Characteristics

Abstract

The research in this paper is the result of an experimental study regarding a new airfoil‐design concept, which is developed to produce greater lift coefficients over a much broader range of operational angles of attack, to improve or eliminate stall at virtually all operational airspeeds, to increase functional lift‐to‐drag ratios over a greater range of operational angles of attack, and to be adaptable for aircraft of both the fixed‐wing and the rotary‐wing types. The writer has combined his effort with L. L. Smith, and a U.S. Patent, entitled “Airfoil,” Patent No. 4,606,519, was obtained on August 19, 1986. Patents were also obtained or are pending in other countries. The experimental results, obtained by using the new airfoil‐design concept, have been compared with experimental results obtained from a conventional NACA 23012 airfoil. Flight performance tests by using a 2.134‐m (7.0 ft) model and remote‐control devices, as well as flow‐separation studies, were also performed. The results were compared with the ones obtained by using the NACA 23012 airfoil.