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Old June 12th 06, 05:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.homebuilt
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Default Why don't wings have dimples?


Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe wrote:

...

Dimples work on round things under a relativly narrow range of reynolds
numbers (a function of speed, size and properties of air) by helping keep
the boundry layer attached. Golf balls happen to fit into that range and
have the right shape. Gliders sometimes use "turbulator" tape to trip a
laminar boundry layer and make it turbulant so it will stay attached
longer - but the placement is critical (and only works if you have a very
laminar wing to begin with).

So, if you are having boundry layer seperation problems due to the shape of
your fairing aft of the maximum "thickness", then dimples or other boundry
layer devices may or may not help but most likely they will not.


So maybe you could use dimples on fairings, fuselage or struts,
especially
if the struts are circular tubing, eh?

--

FF

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