TOPLESS WING QUESTION
Re: TOPLESS WING QUESTION
You HAVE to fly one and feel the difference !!...!!>>
Re: TOPLESS WING QUESTION
Conrad
Will take you up on that one day.
Will take you up on that one day.

Gavin van der Berg - ZS-WWF
“The genius controls the chaos”
One of the Proud Chain Gang Founding Members
“The genius controls the chaos”
One of the Proud Chain Gang Founding Members
Re: TOPLESS WING QUESTION


Gavin van der Berg - ZS-WWF
“The genius controls the chaos”
One of the Proud Chain Gang Founding Members
“The genius controls the chaos”
One of the Proud Chain Gang Founding Members
Re: TOPLESS WING QUESTION
I must admit, these topless wings do look pretty sexy!
There must be a major difference in the "feel" of the wing though. For instance on the Aquilla wing, the luff lines pull the trailing edge up and you really have to fight her to keep the plane in a steepish dive/descent. I would imagine that the topless wing allows you to remain in such a dive a lot easier due to the absence of these lines?
There must be a major difference in the "feel" of the wing though. For instance on the Aquilla wing, the luff lines pull the trailing edge up and you really have to fight her to keep the plane in a steepish dive/descent. I would imagine that the topless wing allows you to remain in such a dive a lot easier due to the absence of these lines?
- JCH
- Going for flight test
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:36 am
- Location: Randburg - Microland
Re: TOPLESS WING QUESTION
Cannot really say that I find that to be true on a descent.Bundy wrote:I must admit, these topless wings do look pretty sexy!
There must be a major difference in the "feel" of the wing though. For instance on the Aquilla wing, the luff lines pull the trailing edge up and you really have to fight her to keep the plane in a steepish dive/descent. I would imagine that the topless wing allows you to remain in such a dive a lot easier due to the absence of these lines?
You feel the difference more in turns and if you round-out at too high a speed she floats forever...
JCH
"The more you practice the luckier you get" - Gary Player
ZU-FDA
ZU-FVX
"The more you practice the luckier you get" - Gary Player
ZU-FDA
ZU-FVX
Re: TOPLESS WING QUESTION
Thanks JCH for a lekker flip this morning. I now have a much better understanding of the topless set up! As you say, there is definately a difference in the roll and the "float".... haha I had a jol! Overall flying str and level Id say very little difference between the other than a slight speed advantage depending on the wing position. Next time lets remember our wallets for the intended breakfast!JCH wrote:Cannot really say that I find that to be true on a descent.Bundy wrote:I must admit, these topless wings do look pretty sexy!
There must be a major difference in the "feel" of the wing though. For instance on the Aquilla wing, the luff lines pull the trailing edge up and you really have to fight her to keep the plane in a steepish dive/descent. I would imagine that the topless wing allows you to remain in such a dive a lot easier due to the absence of these lines?
You feel the difference more in turns and if you round-out at too high a speed she floats forever...

Your plane is a beaut!

-
- Frequent Flyer
- Posts: 1499
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:37 pm
- Location: Sky @ FABS (Brits Flying Club)
- Contact:
Re: TOPLESS WING QUESTION
Saw this thread a bit late.
There is a lot more involved than a couple of tubes and brakcets to convert a conventional wing into topless.
The conventional top-rigging does 2 things.
1. Upper flying wires are there for ground handling and negative G's in flight.
2. The king post, more importantly plays the main role in your anti dive characteristics in that it holds the luff-lines.
1 above is sorted with the underwing profiled struts. But 2 above (in a topless) is replaced with sprogs placed incide the doubles surface of the wing, preventing the wing to enter into a death dive. The sprogs in turn support the reflex in the root battens, helping the glider to recover from a Vne dive.
That is why a topless is more aerodynamic, but not lighter in weight. Hence relative small speed gain.
But it is definitely the absolute platform for future wing development.
There is a lot more involved than a couple of tubes and brakcets to convert a conventional wing into topless.
The conventional top-rigging does 2 things.
1. Upper flying wires are there for ground handling and negative G's in flight.
2. The king post, more importantly plays the main role in your anti dive characteristics in that it holds the luff-lines.
1 above is sorted with the underwing profiled struts. But 2 above (in a topless) is replaced with sprogs placed incide the doubles surface of the wing, preventing the wing to enter into a death dive. The sprogs in turn support the reflex in the root battens, helping the glider to recover from a Vne dive.
That is why a topless is more aerodynamic, but not lighter in weight. Hence relative small speed gain.
But it is definitely the absolute platform for future wing development.
Roel Jansen
Never say: "I should have ..."
ZU-IAR powered by BMW 1200
Never say: "I should have ..."
ZU-IAR powered by BMW 1200
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests