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The performance of man-powered aircraft

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

G. M. Lilley
G. M. Lilley*
Affiliation:
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Southampton
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Extract

The aerodynamic performance of man-powered aircraft has been considered by a number of authors including (Lilley and Spillman (1960), Lissaman et al (1979), Wimpenny (1979)). The present paper attempts a simplistic approach and gives a comparison between these simple formulae and the performance of the various designs of man-powered aircraft for which design information is available, or from measured data in flight. The latter information is generally in agreement with that tabulated in Reay (1977) and Sherwin (1971). The data on the Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross were obtained from Lissaman et al (1979) and Jex and Mitchell (1982). A review of achievements in man-powered flight before the Channel crossing was given by Clark (1978).

The paper also discusses briefly the performance of manpowered aircraft with energy storage for assisted take-off and as a contribution for cruising flight. It is hoped the paper will give a broad picture of the aerodynamic performance challenge set by the Kremer (1983) World Speed Record Competition.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 88 , Issue 873 , March 1984, pp. 58 - 69
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1984 

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References

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