Thread: Edge Wingtips
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Old 10-04-2006, 10:55 AM   #10 (permalink)
teryn
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Default Re: Edge Wingtips

Partially incorrect. For the same lift, the total vortex strength across the span is always the same. Lift is vorticity. You can't reduce it - but you can redistribute it.

The one and only purpose of properly designed winglets is an equivalent increase in span and reduced induced drag. The reduction in drag is not from a reduction in vorticity. They are very hard to design right and in most cases they hurt more than they benefit - unless you design them right. They have to be tailor fit to the wing. Since these wingtips were adapted to an existing wing (and not designed as a system), my guess is that they are hurting him more than helping. In addition, the winglets work well at a certain flight condition for which they are designed. Do airplanes such as an Edge fly at one flight condition while performing aerobatics? I don't think so. It would take a lot of work to get them right...More than those guys want to go through.

Quote: Originally Posted by A-Track
Too small to be sfg's there probably to reduce wing tip vortecie's. Trying to reduce drag to get every extra knot of airspeed for the air racing. They look similar to wing tips of the a-320.

Last edited by teryn : 10-04-2006 at 11:17 AM.
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