Barnaby Wainfan
Barnaby is a Technical Fellow for Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Design organization. A private pilot with single-engine and glider ratings, Barnaby has been involved in the design of unconventional airplanes including canards, joined wings, flying wings and some too strange to fall into any known category.
Fixed Pitch vs. Constant Speed
Deciding to use a fixed-pitch propeller or step up to the higher weight, cost, and complexity of a constant-speed prop in order to improve performance.
Fixed-pitch Props
A major advantage of a fixed-pitch prop is that it is lighter, simpler and cheaper than one with variable pitch.
A Bit About Blades
Like a wing, a propeller blade is characterized by its area, planform, and airfoil cross section.
Blade Inflow Angle
As the propeller moves through the air, each point on the blade follows a helical path.
Prop Momentum Theory
Proper selection and design of the propeller is one of the keys to airplane performance.
Wind Tunnel
Last month we took a look at using hinge-line offset to aerodynamically balance control surfaces. Offset hinge balances are effective, but they were not...
In Case You Missed it
Viewfinder
Marc Cook spends a few days helping perform the annual on a friends RV-7A, and finds it much easier than doing his own.
Roll Your Own
Builders Ken Scott and Ken Kruegers unique project is off the drawing board and into production. They're working with the engine builder, the wing is behind them, the nosebowl is taking shape-and the fuselage is taking over the living room;
