Gerry and all,

Been following this most interesting conversation on aircraft design.
I would just point out some issues that one is to consider when
endeavouring to devise his own desin.

Then where WOULD be the right starting place?


This is the most important point. It is unwise to start thinking of
SOLUTIONS ( number of wings, biplane, delta, tandem wings...) before
posing the PROBLEM, and establishing what the aircraft will be required
to do.

I understand that this particular airplane should be small, light, and
able to take off from an unprepared stretch of private road. And it
should be storable in a garage.

There are several designs (some of them out of the US) that fulfill
these requirements, without resorting to exotic or complicated technical
solutions. And yet have outstanding handling qualities, payload and
performance on a reasonable power.

The MCR 01 two seater is one of them :
http://www.avnet.co.uk/lts/pages/mcr.htm


the dimensions of your wings...

First - learn about Reynolds number.
Okay

Very few of the published airfoils work well below about 3 meg RN.

What does that mean in regard to your choices?

Well, the two-foot chord wing is going to have to move pretty fast to make
3 meg RN.

The MCR 01 has a two foot chord wing, and the four seater we built has a
3 foot chord.


Concerning the Delta Dyke, one of my buddy owns one, and it is certainly
not an answer to the original poster's requirements. On the contrary,
it is a dog in flight, and very tricky. Deltas are definitely not a
corrrect solution to any slow airplane.

Regards,
Gilles Thesee
Grenoble, France
http://contrails.free.fr