How can I design an airplane to carry a specific amount of weight?

[Jones1987]

Hi guys,

Looking to designing a model air craft, but I want it to be able to carry X amount of mass of my choice. So to do this I need the basics on aerodynamics, air foils, lift and drag.

If anyone could set me in the direction to some beginner material, as Aero is a new topic to me and I'm not really sure where to begin. I would be really grateful.

Books or sites, all help is welcome :D

Thanks.

 

[viscousflow]

For starters To get off the ground you will need at least Lift = Weight, also you want to know the slowest speed you want to fly at (stall). So now you know the minimum CL you need for your design. Now you can size your wing accordingly. A bit oversimplified yes, but it is some starting point to give you insight.

Check out "Theory of Wing Sections" by Abbot and Von Doenhoff. It was one of the first "true" aero books I ever read. Can find it for 12 bucks on Amazon

 

[Jones1987]

For starters To get off the ground you will need at least Lift = Weight, also you want to know the slowest speed you want to fly at (stall). So now you know the minimum CL you need for your design. Now you can size your wing accordingly. A bit oversimplified yes, but it is some starting point to give you insight.

Check out "Theory of Wing Sections" by Abbot and Von Doenhoff. I don't know your academic maturity but, "Aircraft Design" by Raymer is also a good text.

Hey, thanks for the reply. Its much appreciated.

I'm currently in my finals of university, but I don't take an Aero module, however I have to do some research and a small design on an air craft. So I will search for the books you have stated and get cracking.

As some of the material I have found is purely for the intermediate or advanced Aerospace Engineering

 

[Phrak]

At the lower end of the technical spectrum is "A Practical Guide to Airplane Performance and Design", Crawford.