On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:08:14 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:


How about it, VeeDuber?
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Dear Flash,

There are a number of aircraft design tools available to anyone having
an interest in that area. Some are computer programs, which I suspect
you were referring to (Usenet does not allow attachments) that are
specific to aviation while others are relatively simple structural-
design equation-sets suitable for anything from a railroad bridge to
an airplane's wing.

Others are books and magazine articles devoted to aircraft design.
For the homebuilder, one of the more useful hard-copy sources were the
articles by Raoul Hoffmann, the aeronautical engineer who worked for
Matty Laird, which appeared in 'Popular Flying' magazine during the
1930's. Back when the EAA had an interest in such things they used to
offer a reprint collection of Mr. Hoffmann's articles in a manual
devoted to aircraft design.

An interesting test of computerized aircraft design tools is run them
backwards and see what you get. That is, enter the parameters of a
proven design such as the Piper 'Cub' and see what the program has to
say with regard to the parameter(s) you've left out, such as weight,
performance or what-have-you. In most cases the software fails to
match the reality of a proven design; good evidence there's a bit more
to it than plugging numbers into a matrix and hitting the button.

Another thing about design tools is that while some will tell you the
required metal thickness and rivet pitch, or the required cross-
sectional area of a wooden spar, they don't tell you HOW to set those
rivets or glue-up such a spar. Which leads to a crude but effective
design tool seldom mentioned by the various 'experts,' which is to
simply make a part and then test it to destruction... once you've
learned HOW to make it
Indeed, the 'Experimental, Amateur-built' license exists not to foster
the sale of kits nor glossy coffee-table magazines, it exists to
foster EDUCATION in aeronautics. And while it is wildly unpopular to
advocate such a thing, by devoting a bit of time to the subject of
aircraft design -- at any level -- you will find that it isn't that
difficult to amass your own kit of fully portable design tools neatly
packaged and always available, between your own ears :-)

-R.S.Hoover

and the wonderment is that if you actually understand a little of the
history the technology is actually sitting there naked in front of you
at airshows and in museums.

its fascinating!

Stealth Pilot