Tips for Improving Glider Performance in Competition

 
Balance
 
Place a finger under each wing, around ¼ of the way back along the
wing
If the glider is at least close to balancing, it is worth test flying
If the glider is noticeably nose heavy or tail heavy, it will 
NOT
 fly well
 
Perhaps the most
common problem that
prevents gliders in this
competition from
flying well is that they
are too tail heavy
Balance glider on finger tips
 
Wing Shape
 
Straight wing= Good idea
(glides well)
 
Aerodynamic shape= Good idea
(gives lift but not too much drag)
 
Wing Shape
 
Rectangular foam block= Bad idea
(bad aerodynamics, lots of drag)
 
Poster board or paper wing= Bad idea
(too flimsy)
 
Swept wing= Bad idea (does not glide as
well as a straight wing)
 
 
Tail Sizes
 
Horizontal tail should be at least 1/5 the size of the wing (or bigger)
Vertical tail should be at least 1/10 the size of the wing (or bigger)
If tail surfaces are too small, they cannot stabilize the glider
If tail is too heavy, the glider will not fly
 
Vertical tail
 
Horizontal tail
 
Tail is lightweight,
which helps keep the airplane
from being too tail heavy
 
Additional Info
 
Test fly the glider A LOT.  Make sure it flies well
time after time.
Just to give you a feel for performance, the
first, second, and third place winners in this
competition can usually glide at least 30 feet
each flight, sometimes more
 
 
 
*Slides created by Louis Turek
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Gliders in competitions often struggle with balance, wing shape, and tail sizes. Ensuring proper balance by checking tail heaviness, choosing a straight wing shape, and sizing tail surfaces correctly can greatly improve glider flight performance. Test flying the glider multiple times is essential to gauge its efficiency. Aim for consistent 30 feet glides for top competition success.

  • Glider competition
  • Flight performance
  • Wing shape
  • Tail size
  • Test flying

Uploaded on Jul 17, 2024 | 0 Views


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  1. Balance Perhaps the most common problem that prevents gliders in this competition from flying well is that they are too tail heavy Balance glider on finger tips Place a finger under each wing, around of the way back along the wing If the glider is at least close to balancing, it is worth test flying If the glider is noticeably nose heavy or tail heavy, it will NOT fly well

  2. Wing Shape Straight wing= Good idea (glides well) Aerodynamic shape= Good idea (gives lift but not too much drag)

  3. Wing Shape Rectangular foam block= Bad idea (bad aerodynamics, lots of drag) Poster board or paper wing= Bad idea (too flimsy) Swept wing= Bad idea (does not glide as well as a straight wing)

  4. Tail Sizes Horizontal tail should be at least 1/5 the size of the wing (or bigger) Vertical tail should be at least 1/10 the size of the wing (or bigger) If tail surfaces are too small, they cannot stabilize the glider If tail is too heavy, the glider will not fly Vertical tail Tail is lightweight, which helps keep the airplane from being too tail heavy Horizontal tail

  5. Additional Info Test fly the glider A LOT. Make sure it flies well time after time. Just to give you a feel for performance, the first, second, and third place winners in this competition can usually glide at least 30 feet each flight, sometimes more *Slides created by Louis Turek

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