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Flying wing back in town?

https://www.bydanjohnson.com/modern-horten-wing-aircraft-excitement-as-aero-2019-approaches/

I hope it’s an UL

Not sure about the visibility for the pilot. Wish he would be located in the front part of that cabin. A bit noisy too, right in front of the engine, but hey, maybe it’s electric

We’ll all find out soon

Private field, Mallorca, Spain

aart wrote:

I hope it’s an UL

I will hope that it’s not, it would be far too limited in a UL certification (especially when talking about incorporating new technologies and design of a multiseat-aircraft family).

Anyway, the pictured registry does not hint towards a UL certification.

mh
Aufwind GmbH
EKPB, Germany

Do flying wings offer aerodynamic advantages?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Looks more like a VariEze without the canard than the Horten flying wing. This one has vertical stabs.

Peter wrote:

Do flying wings offer aerodynamic advantages?

Maybe, but only if you have the flight computer and movable surfaces of an eagle or albatross or something. Looks cool though.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

Could this be certified without airbus-style dual redundant computers? It would instantly go out of control if the computer failed, presumably.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

My understanding is that you often get very narrow CoG limits.

There are flying wings with good handling characteristics e.g. hang gliders but you often have to sacrifice efficiency to get acceptable flying characteristics, so lose some of the aerodynamic advantages you might expect.

I saw this fly a few years ago, built in 1943 and I believe still flying. It was quite interesting to see.

Peter wrote:

Could this be certified without airbus-style dual redundant computers?

Yes, you can develop a stable flying wing. You don’t gain much performance, though. If anything.

Last Edited by mh at 14 Mar 20:01
mh
Aufwind GmbH
EKPB, Germany

Peter wrote:

Do flying wings offer aerodynamic advantages?

The short answer is no, if you let evolution alone to decide all of them will be dead and you will end up with something like a TB/SR20
On metal structures, the only reason we see them is the low radar signature (but then you need a heck of computer to help you fly )

But with that design you can do some serious aeros (+8G/-4G on wood structure is not bad)

http://www.shuttleworth.org/collection/fauvelglider/

Last Edited by Ibra at 14 Mar 21:21
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

Do flying wings offer aerodynamic advantages?

Yes. But if you want to design a flying wing that is stable, then probably you will loose any advantage due to the way you’re going to take to obtain stability. If, additionally, you put two BIG vertical stabs at the wingtips, forget it

It can be good marketing though. I’m just remembering one of the anecdotes of Jan Roskam in his book Airplane War Stories, when the director of C172 marketing wanted to add a swept tail. Roskam analyzed the change during a week and concluded that the swept fin will be really bad in terms of additional drag, increased weight and general loose of performance. But probably it will enhance the look of the aircraft.
The next 172 had a swept tail and sales increased by 30%.

LECU - Madrid, Spain
17 Posts
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