Testing Performance

Testing was important to the success of the team's aircraft.  Test flights were conducted to determine the actual performance of the aircraft and to modify and make adjustments to the design of the aircraft.  Testing was held on Saturday April 12, 2008 and Tuesday April 22, 2008 in 3 locations.  On Saturday April 12, 2008, testing was done in Vernon, New Jersey in the morning and at the Wawayanda Flying Club in New Hampton, New York.  Members of the flying club were very helpful and assisted the team with piloting the aircraft, providing assistance to repair the aircraft, and with providing general information regarding remote controlled planes.  On Tuesday April 22, 2008, testing was done in Moonachie, New Jersey.  Videos of the flights can be viewed by downloading the files from the Archives page.  Below is a compilation of photos taken during testing.

Design Changes and Improvements

Several changes were made to the plane based on the results of the test flights.  The first change was to add extensions to the V-tail.  This was done to increase the surface area, providing more control of the plane; create a greater distance between the wing's leading edge and the neutral point, allowing a larger margin with which to place the center of gravity; and the increased surface area provided better stability by being capable of resisting sudden forces caused by the wind.  Another change made was to the right center wing.  Testing showed that the right center wing had a different angle of attack.  Fishing line was used to straighten the wing resulting in a straighter take-off path.  A third change made was to add a thin, light weight steel cabld to connect the landing gear, creating stiffer landing gear to enable a greater load to be carried.  Fourth, ailerons were added to the end wings.  The original design only called for flaperons.  The flaps, however, were located too close to the center of the plane, creating difficulty in stability and control.  Ailerons were added to increase the stability and control of the plane.  The final improvement made to the plane was to move the motor forward using aluminum spacers.  This helped to balance the plane and to make it less tail heavy.