“Flight Template” A tool for the optimization of sailplane aerodynamics for cross country flight at the preliminary design stage

Abstract

A new tool for the aerodynamic optimization of a sailplane wing is proposed in order to take the specificity of a typical cross country flight into account during the preliminary design stage.  It is called “Flight Template”, because it embodies the statistical aspect of real flight.  The statistical “Flight Spectrum” acts as a filter of aerodynamic wing characteristics and helps define a realistic cost function reflecting global performance for multiple-point optimization.  The concept of Flight Template is presented, and a methodology is proposed to determine it experimentally.  Some documented examples are given.  In addition, applications of the Flight Template tools in preliminary design process are presented.  Illustrations of the use of Flight Template are given for airfoil selection, planform optimization, and airfoil numerical optimization.