Designer's Notebook

Barnaby Wainfan examines the design factors that can mitigate damage in an accident and increase the chances of survival.

Its easy to get carried away with new systems and technology that promise to make your airplane faster, smarter and even safer. But sometimes more is just more.

Involved in the flight testing of a friends aircraft, Barnaby Wainfan contemplates the consequences (and wisdom) of designing an aircraft around an engine that may prove unsatisfactory or, worse, unavailable.

Youd think a V-tail would have much to offer over a conventional tail in both reduced drag and lower weight. But how does it really pan out?

How do the power-to-weight ratio, wing loading, drag effects and propeller choices affect an aircrafts climb rate and climb angle?

Barnaby Wainfan looks at unconventional flight-control configurations in the cockpit and why they can throw even a seasoned pilot.

Major aspects of tail design and how they affect the performance of an aircraft in flight.

When conducting aerodynamic testing related to airflow over an object, how do you ensure that you've matched the conditions from one test to another, and why does it matter?

Don your thinking caps, kids. Its time to learn about the value of nondimensionalized aerodynamic data.

Pilots, especially those in low-powered aircraft, must always know how much energy they have available to maintain flight.