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"Dr. Hanley's Glider" is a powerful software package for airplane design and flight analysis on a PC. Use the software to design wings, select airfoils, determine stability and test the flight trajectory of the glider. It can also be used to plot the airfoil templates of the successful models or export them to .dxf files for construction. Use Glider Graphical User Interface to enter a wing (rectangular, tapered or delta), a tail/canard (rectangular, tapered or delta) and airfoils (custom, NACA or from UIUC library). Once the information has been entered you are able to do the following:
Glider can be used to compute the lift, profile and vortex drag of three-dimensional wings and wing-tail combinations. The software uses advanced wing analysis routines found in MultiSurface Aerodynamics (a vortex panel method coupled boundary layer solver) along with a vortex lattice method (based on vortex rings) to compute the wing lift and total drag.. Glider uses an interface similar to MultiSurface Aerodynamics to design the glider's wing and horizontal tail and then mate the results with a trajectory algorithm. Using the Vortex Lattice Method, the software is able to compute the angle of trim from the center of gravity location. The trajectory calculations assume that the aircraft remains in the trim configuration throughout the glide (maintaining its launch angle of attack and aerodynamic coefficients). The flight conditions can be changed mid-flight by specifying a stop time (or location) and then adjusting the aerodynamics. The glider can then be launched again using the previous flight parameters as initial conditions (this simulates, to some degree, control of the flight). Glider can solve problems with rectangular wings, tapered wings and tails and delta wings. The user can choose NACA 4, 5 & 6-digit airfoils and airfoils from the UIUC database. Glider can also read-in analyze custom airfoils. Airfoils can be specified (independently) at the wing & tail tips and roots. The user can also specify twist, sweep, dihedral, taper and flaps for both the wing and tail surfaces. Glider can be used to compute the lift, profile and vortex drag of three-dimensional wings and wing-tail combinations. The trajectory computed by Glider is two-dimensional. The user can specify launch angle, launch speed, wind speed and direction, glider weight and acceleration due to gravity. The program will plot the altitude vs range, altitude vs time, range vs time, speed vs time and it will also give the final distance and total flight time. Preliminary results show that the gliders will perform loops if launched at a high speed or has too high a lift coefficient. They will travel different distances or speeds depending on the choice of airfoils or structural weights. It is quite important to design a stable glider to have good outcomes. This means that the neutral points should be in the correct position with respect to the center of gravity, flying wings should have the correct flap position (or airfoil shapes / sweep angles) and the horizontal tails should provide the correct restoring moments. Dr. Hanley's Glider-CD Edition is useful for designing and analyzing sailplanes, hand-launched gliders and free-flight gliders. By simulating the trajectory, the designer can immediately approximate a few minutes of flight and improve their design (if necessary). It should also prove a good learning tool for the classroom.
Computer Requirements
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