2 ms·
I have a question, which admittedly is based on my experience with paper airplanes. I have noticed that tiny paper airplanes look cool, but are difficult to fly
by japhyr 13y ago
I have a question, which admittedly is based on my experience with paper airplanes. I have noticed that tiny paper airplanes look cool, but are difficult to fly. When I was a kid, I remember making a paper airplane out of a giant piece of butcher paper. I launched it out of my second floor window, expecting it to soar all the way to the street. It rather pathetically pinwheeled to the ground. It seems that, with paper airplanes at least, the most stable designs are in some middle size range.
Is this tiny plane less stable than more traditional "small planes" like Cessnas? I love the concept of this plane, but is it actually a good first plane for new pilots?
- carleverett 13y agoFortunately, there is little relationship between the flight characteristics of paper airplanes vs. actual airplanes. Stability is achieved in design aspects of the plane. For instance, dihedral wings (upward angled) are a big factor in stability since they cause the airplane to want to level out when it rolls. This is positive stability, vs. negative stability, which is when the plane wants to roll more once it begins rolling. Lighter planes are more easily pushed by the wind, which only really ups your difficulty level during crosswind landings. Pilots will usually have a maximum crosswind they'll allow themselves to land in before resorting to another runway - that speed would be lower on a lighter aircraft. That is no reason to say that the SD-1 is not suited for beginners however. It has positive stability control and plenty of modern safety features, so it makes a great first plane.
- japhyr 13y agoThank you for such a clear answer. I really hope this takes off, and I wish you well!