View Single Post
  #40  
Old June 15th 06, 05:48 PM posted to rec.aviation.homebuilt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Why don't wings have dimples?


Peter Dohm wrote:

...

Well, I already know a lot of the rules of thumb for drag reduction,
especially with laminar flow, and that is my first choice for choosing or
building an airplane.

I am also interested in general aerodynamics, and am somewhat intrigued by
the issue of dimples. Particularly, grooves and dimples could be quite
interesting as related to propellers. Regrettably, there is a /very/ finite
limit to the percentage of time I can devote to that, so my progress may be
gradual.


Check with the powered paraglider people. I've been told that
some of their props have a groove running along the crowned
face of the blade.

A prop is just a wing rotating rapidly around the wing root. But the
effective airspeed of a prop appproaches Mach 1, where compressibility
becomes important.

A supersonic prop would be interesting....

--

FF