Aerodynamics: 2007-12-30

Wake Turbulence Vortices Use in Aerodynamic Aircraft Designs

We know of the tremendous amount of wake turbulence high wing loading swept wing aircraft create at high angles of attack. This intense airflow creation should be used with additional concave airfoils to push up on such surfaces. Further multiple swept mid wing gates similar to winglets should be deflecting airflow to these surfaces which are attached to these mid wing vertical gate like winglets. Additional a waved shape upper wing with a forward sweep should be the design of choice. In fact several forward swept wings should be attached one each to every mid wing gate like winglet.

A revolutionary aircraft design of this type made out of the newest materials using attributes know to modern aircraft in addition to this concept could prove very effective in increasing efficiency and lift thru the extra deflection properties of the vortex airflows. The upper wing with proper angle of attack would create and incredible addition and allow for decreased wingspans and thus less drag. Vortex air forced up at the upper swept wings would deflect air under it. Some of this vortex air could also be forced through jet engines or pusher props for increased power plant efficiency also.

It is time to look at other aircraft designs and test these designs, revolutionary concepts, which are a complete departure from previous models in aerospace designs. We must experiment with such airflows of aircraft and lighter materials to create safer, more efficient and smaller aircraft for humans. Think on this one.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

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Increasing TAS in Modern Day Fighters with Expandable Wing Tips

By Lance Winslow

As fighter aircraft get faster and faster there is a diminishing return on more aerodynamic streamlining in designs. You can only build the aircraft so “Aerodynamically Correct” once you have the best optimum design for speed, there is little you can do without changing the aircraft in-flight or the air itself. Of course both of those possibilities have been and are being looked at. Let’s think on the many types of fighter aircraft, which change their configurations in-flight. You have the F-8 Crusader which changed its angle of attack in-flight so it could land at slower speeds, while achieving very high speeds in flight. The F-111 and the F-14 Tomcat both have wings which sweep back in flight as the airspeed increases. Many newer fighter designs have “thrust vectoring nozzles” to help them with maneuverability and quick turns, well that is as long as the pilot can take the additional “G’s” without passing out or imploding. The new JSF, B-1 Bomber and other fighters like the F-117 can store their munitions inside the aircraft so they are not hanging out there causing incessant parasite drag or adding to the extremely low radar signatures needed to maintain a stealth configuration. Many fighters will have additional drop tanks for extra fuel, which once used up are dropped. Once dropped the aircraft can then have additional maneuverability and shed the extra drag hanging below. Designers and engineers, even pilots have often thought of ways to redesign the fastest and best performing aircraft in the modern era.

I propose another modification, a simpler one, which can achieve these types of increases while using very little weight. Recently an F-15 had a mishap, I believe a mid-air collision in which all of its right wing was tore off. The plane it hit both pilots ejected, however the F-15 is a tough bird with a lot of thrust and it was still under control by its pilot. The pilot and navigator/weapons co-pilot could not see the wing was gone, only a fire ball along side. They decided to fly the aircraft in and did so successfully; how can this be? Well they landed at a high airspeed and maintained control with the thrust of the aircraft. Once an aircraft travels above 450 Knots the fuselage starts flying. The fighters we have today like the F-18 Hornet (Navy) and the F-16 Talon, F-15 Eagle (Air Force) have substantial fuselages which act as wings. Therefore at higher speeds the actual wings which stick out considerably on the aircraft are simply not needed and actually impede the aircrafts top True Air Speed (TAS). So lets eliminate them once airborne and up to speed. Of course we cannot just drop them like the “drop tanks” as that is a very costly part of the modern day fighter. Besides if the wings fall off and then you have to come back an land you would have to land at a very high rate of speed like those brave boys in the F-15 missing on very important right wing from the jet intake outward; what a story, quite ballsy indeed. In my modification I propose an expandable wing spar to fold outward to various positions, perhaps two or three. Straight out, 26 degrees and 45 degrees, behind this fold out spar would be a webbing of strong inflatable polymer rubbery material made of partially MMM Manufactured material memory substances. The webbing would come out and then inflate using the jet engines ram air before take off. This hot air would cause the material memory to have increased camber for the take off configuration, a fat wing. As the aircraft accelerated the hot air would be replaced with cooler air, ram air from the ambient temperature. At 450 to 500 Knots the wing would fold back to 26-degree and then at 550 to 600 Knots fold back to 45-degrees. As the aircraft approached the speed of sound it would be completely retracted. As the webbing retracts it would run thru a roller system allowing it to take up very little space, as the area it retracts into will also hold fuel tanks and space would be limited. As the folding spar comes back it would provide an end-cap covering the system as well as a small gate or strake on the protruding fuselage/wing tip. Without the wing on the aircraft efficiency would occur in less drag, meaning higher speeds, better range and fuel economy.

We seem to be reaching the top end of aerodynamic design in an atmosphere in modern day fighters. We are at the point that it is getting difficult to design an aircraft much faster. So we either need some new radical designs, change the air itself or further modify the aircraft in flight to better maintain efficiencies at each airspeed, altitude and stage of flight. Lighter and stronger materials are now coming online, how we choose to use them will be crucial in maintaining air superiority. If you are an aircraft designer please be thinking here, thank you.

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Golf Balls - The Science Behind The Dimples

By Susan Chiang

The dynamics behind the flight of the golf ball offers a fascinating insight into the physical interworkings of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics.

When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.

In 1618 the “Featherie” was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.

As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.

After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball’s smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.

With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the “dimpled” golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.

The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.

By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.

After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.

Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.

For a more comprehensive look at golf and golf equipment, drop by Susan's site on Golf Balls. Other informative sports related articles are available at Shopping Palace and Niche Weblog.

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Car Spoilers

By Peter Emerson

Car spoilers are aerodynamic additions that are normally mounted on top of a car's trunk or positioned under the front bumper. Car spoilers make a car unique and stand out in a crowd. Car spoilers also improve the car’s performance and sometimes stimulate its resale value.

Car spoilers are quite easy to install, and usually come with sealing gaskets and mounting bolts. Most car spoilers are made from polyurethane, while some are made from lightweight steel or fiberglass. Some spoilers make use of a combination of two or three dissimilar substances. Car spoilers made of “high impact resin” have high density with extreme temperature resistance and are super impact resistant. These types are also lightweight and durable, and will not crack, separate or sag.

The frontal car spoilers are also called air dam. The rear spoiler, sometimes known as a wing, provides a downforce for better stability when accelerating at top speeds. Some rear spoilers come with a warning brake light built into the spoiler.

Car spoilers used on a race car reduce its lift and drag, as well as increase the amount of force pushing the vehicle’s tires to the road surface. These, in turn, would ensure to boost in traction, permitting the car to brake, turn, and accelerate properly and more forcefully.

Spoilers come in different weights, therefore adding any amount of mass to the rear of a car will impact driving in varying augmentations. A car with a good spoiler means that there is less resistance, which would result in a higher top speed.

Car spoilers are available universally, and can be ordered through the Internet as well. Many designs are offered for each vehicle manufactured. Generally, spoilers can be purchased unpainted so that one may have it painted for an accurate color match with their car.

Spoilers provides detailed information on Car Spoilers, Car Spoilers, Muscle Car Spoilers, Affordable Car Spoilers and more. Spoilers is affiliated with Chrome Rims.

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Answer to Critics of Inflatable and Expandable Fighter Aircraft Wings

By Lance Winslow

Some aerospace designers believe that Mr. Lance Winslow’s design modification of current day fighter aircraft and UAVs to include an inflatable and expandable wing is not feasible or desirable. There critique includes many points, three of these points are worthy of addressing, while the rest of their debate and critique are irrelevant and in fact show their lack of understanding of Mr. Lance Winslow’s excellent concept.

These critics believe that inflatable expandable wings will:

1.) Need for Larger cavity for wing while retracted.

2.) Be like other models of aircraft with retracting wings, which did not work.

3.) Have a loss of use of fuselage cavity for other components and fuel

In addressing the design critique in these items we will show that they major factors to be associated with our concept:

It is my contention that the wing when not in use would be deflated and take up little space and fit into the end cap, which would resemble a stub sticking out of the fuselage. The stub would also serve as the leading edge and spar when expanded and have the same camber as an end cap as it would when acting as the leading edge. In essence taking up no additional space in the fuselage area such as other models such as the “Roll-Wing” concept. The roll wing concept another attempt at a similar design, which was used as an example by the gentleman of, which attempted the same goals.

We believe that as our concept would have an inflatable wing in the end cap, that we would not be similar enough to the roll-wing concept to make a fair comparison and further agree that the roll wing concept is interesting but also need work. Indeed we believe in addition to the roll-wing concept needing additional work that it is not aesthetically correct and would probably not be economically viable in the market place as its design is a radical departure from what most people think an aircraft should look like. As a point on this we believe that the JSF was awarded to Lockheed instead of Boeing for partly this reason, the Lockheed version was sexier. Even if the Lockheed design still has structural issues with the availability and costs of the titanium bulk head and the Boeing version appeared to have excellent performance. There were we believe some Air Force higher ups that did not like its looks.

Retracting an entire wing into the fuselage does take up lots of space and therefore the gentleman makes a good point on the need for other components in the fuselage such as the engine, landing gear, fuel tanks which would mean enlarging the fuselage to the point of defeating the purpose of retracting the wings. However in our concept the wing folds nicely like an accordion when retracted for high-speed flight.

The gentleman further indicated that there is increased weight in such concepts as retractable wings such as the motors to move the wings. We agree that their will be some additional weight for our inflatable expandable wings due to the components such as motors and compression canisters, however since our wing will be inflatable it will be ultra light weight to begin with, making up for much of the difference. The leading edge/wing spar folding out component will be full strength and support much of the wing loading. The JSF has a wing loading of 91.4 lb/ft. The current material we envision for our expandable wing is used in inflatable water dams for rivers and lakes and can easily withstand a higher wing loading.

The motor to move the wing spar only will not be substantial like the F-14. The motor will not be used prior to take off and will not be deployed against the relative wind at over 450 Knots.

The gentleman also had indicated that since the wing is an inflatable version it would not be able to store fuel. Fuel storage in the wings of fighter aircraft is typical, but not all have fuel storage in the wings. This is a good point and therefore this will need to be addressed with larger fuel tanks in the fuselage. However it should also be noted that we will be saving weight wing our wing, which will improve performance and in cruise we will be using far less fuel by substantially reducing the drag. In addition it should be noted that the JSF has a range of only 650 Nautical Miles without drop tanks, so we believe we are within the ballpark to match with our more efficient design. In fact it is possible that a slightly modified JSF indeed might be an interesting platform to try test this new concept. Think again we need better objections from those who call themselves worldclass aerospace designers.

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Static Air Wing Collectors For Endurance Flight

By Lance Winslow

The larger the wing surface of an aircraft the more static electricity, which is created as it moves through the air. Some of this is depended on the amount of friction the surface has as it moves through the air. For instance if you take your feet and drag them as you walk across the carpet you will notice that you get a shock when you touch something.

I propose static air collectors to be placed on the wing of a Pathfinder type Endurance Research Aircraft for unlimited airborne flight.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0105/16uav/pathfinderplus.jpg

The aircraft in this case will now be electromagnetic, solar, hydrogen powered hybrid. Static air collectors on the aft sections of the wing, special copper coated brushy wing areas which remain very low profile but stick up in places past the boundary layer. The static energy collectors will collect electromagnetic energy from the friction of movement thru the air and fire or spark them in sequence to magnets running the propeller to make it spin. Each static collector will be in series and fire at a different time then the next one to it in a pulse sequence, which will also trickle charge the on-board ion-lithium SuperTech batteries, which are also being charge by the latest lightweight fives times more efficient solar cell sheets, which the wing will be made of.

Our goal is to fly an aircraft for six months without refueling or need for fuel; essentially unlimited airborne flight or “one with the clouds” in infinite aloft forward atmospheric flight. Think on this.

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Inflatable Wings for Fighter Aircraft; Loss of Agility Debate

By Lance Winslow

Inflatable materials are coming of age both in strength and performance. It has been proposed that such inflatable wings be added to fighter aircraft so in flight the can retract and limit the amount of drag for increased performance and speed. Some aerospace engineers believe that such a concept modification to current aircraft designs would be an unworthy use of time, cost and even under whelm us in performance if built. Specifically they claim that there would be loss of agility and stability in maneuvering due to smaller wing while retracted

Where as normally we believe this would be true for an aircraft with no wings in high-speed super cruise flight. We plan on addressing this using two strategies; First: Thrust Vectoring Nozzles and Second; a new concept. We plan to use the static air generated from the friction of the wing to be stored in wires connected along the end cap/ leading edge stub while folded. The leading edge will be made by way of manufactured material memory. To assist in increasing roll rates and to maintain stability the tips will slightly expand as needed to maintain stable flight or in the event of a pilot command to turn will work in conjunction with the thrust vectoring nozzles and expand the tip on the side of the aircraft for which the bank is intended. The material memory expansion will also be used on landings to increase teardrop roundness of the leading edge for slower speeds. This idea was taken from another of our concepts for the general aviation market and inflatable camber modifications:

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=aabd6abfe6bbd82c46ae58b40fd4e0c7&showtopic=1081

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=aabd6abfe6bbd82c46ae58b40fd4e0c7&showtopic=1075

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=aabd6abfe6bbd82c46ae58b40fd4e0c7&showtopic=1073

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=aabd6abfe6bbd82c46ae58b40fd4e0c7&showtopic=1077

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=aabd6abfe6bbd82c46ae58b40fd4e0c7&showtopic=1076

Upon answering the aerospace engineers objections and allowing them to see the follies of their reasoning, we hereby request they come up with a better critique against our concept. If they cannot come up with a better and more competent objection, we will assume they have none and/or do not have the specific knowledge in these new inflatable materials to even make a comment. Think on that.

Reducing Wake Turbulence and Wing-Tip Vortices Using Contoured Winglet Designs

By Lance Winslow

Some Taiwan scientists have figured out a way to reduce the wake from ferries crossing the harbor, most harbors and lakes, many rivers have speed limits to reduce the wake which cases hardships accidents, inconvenience and damage to other craft. We have all heard of the gentleman who ended up between the dock and hull of a large boat and was crushed to death, so obviously it is a serious matter. Yet speed on the water saves time and means greater profits more movement in less time means more efficiency. In places like Taiwan with the insanely high populations, there are serious needs getting all the people where they need to be.

By redesigning the hulls in a wavy fashion they are able to reduce significantly the wake. Mr. Cheng-Hung Huang has come up with a wavy design, which reduces wake. Here is the design.

http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/ns.../99996368F1.JPG

Here is the premise:

http://else.hebis.de/cgi-bin/sciserv.pl?co...87_atihcphfbcgm

Now then let’s take this concept and apply it to a winglet on a heavy airliner, cargo aircraft or military troop transport. We know the winglets help reduce drag and wing tip vortices and wake turbulence, which is quite a violent disruption, which moves a lot of air. For instance if you google NASA's LARC project you will see the studies done.

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Movie/B-7...EM-0073-01.html

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Movie/C-5...EM-0085-01.html

Now then in the Mr. Cheng-Hung Huang model the researchers designed their Ferry Catamaran hulls for both deep water and for shallow water. This would work for both dense and less dense air, which takes into consideration the changes in altitude for the aircraft. Now realize the airfoil is different than the hull in that the hull of a ship is going through fluid that is 750 more dense than air, yet the same principles do apply in limited sense. So even if the wavy design is somewhat less exaggerated on the winglets of an aircraft the savings in wing tip vortices could be significant and therefore more efficient flight.

The hull design in this case is a perfect compromise shape for efficiency between the salt water and fresh water since the two have different densities. Instead of a normal sleek hull designs they have designed a hull with bizarre contours at specific intervals. The peaks are set at 24, 68 yards from the bow with the trough 44 yards. These very same techniques in fluid dynamics occur in aerodynamics

The research would indicate that as long as the dimensions were proportional the concept could be used on any length simply by adjusting the position of the convex peaks and concave troughs in proportion to the hull length. So if the winglets on an A340 or a C-17 are 68 inches then the trough would be at 44 inches. As the air flows across the wing up onto the winglet. For the fuselage of an aircraft the same thought could be used. And you thought those old B-52’s needed to be re-skinned just because they have 500,000 TT Airframe hours and are wavy and worn out? No actually they may actually work better that way to reduce induced drag and with a little modification work exceptionally better, interesting no doubt. Should intakes of jet fighters be contoured along this concept? To reduce fan blade ware and tear and smooth airflows to help produce maximum smooth and sustained inflows and thrust? The answer is yes. Most likely the compression and Bernoulli principle will not effect this only help it flow through by allowing the air to hug the surface and lower the boundary area. If we learn that such an effect compresses the air to a greater degree, while allowing it to flow, then that information is equally as valuable in hypersonic intakes and engines.

Wing tip vortices are so violent and move so much air we had even considered the wind energy potential to power up runway lights or blue tax lights. You may want to google that for a recent study which was done.

We should look into these ideas for aircraft fuselages and tail sections, as well as UAVs, smart munitions and airships. Is this something that should be taken into consideration on the 7E7? We know that wing tip vortices and wake turbulence have sound. Sound causes a signature, if we wish to reduce the signatures of sound the tops of the stealth UAVs might wish to have the wavy surface? A UUV or Submarine would also benefit by reducing it’s acoustic signature since a submarines safety depends on not being able to be detected. There is much benefit to this concept for the insides of engine intake tubes to reduce harmonic damage, increase airflows and the friction associated with the boundary layer for temperatures. It also makes sense for the outside of a submarine hulls, Torpedoes, 18 Wheeler tanker trucks, blimps, nose cones on bullet trains, propeller blades or aircraft fuselages.

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New Aircraft Design Engine Pivot Aft of Fuselage

By Lance Winslow

Due to the new advances in directional thrust capabilities and the advent of UAVs which can take higher “G” loadings, we need to design aircraft and UAVs which have better turning capabilities. This would allow UAVs to fly between city buildings like Felluhja or monitor down town areas like DC for crime. We can build better directional thrust intake flows to allow jet engines to get continual flows for full power and thrust a very slow speed and extremely high angles of attack while completely departing from the forward flowing relative wind. By doing this we can maintain high rates of turns to dodge enemy fired missiles, maneuver in tight proximity of structures and obstacles while staying on mission.

To better understand a good starting point of this discussion and to better visualize in your mind the basic concept building such a craft and the possible shape it might have; below are some links to Pictures of the possible general design we have in mind. In these pictures are previous no-pivoting versions of the basic design we have in mind. This aircraft is the “Optica” and it was designed for high visibility, efficiency and STOL – Short Take-Off and Landing Capability.

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&saf...ilor.com+optica

Imagine this look and forward observation area with a shortened swept wingspan in prospective to relative size. The wing perhaps the shape of an A-4 or even an F-104.

In our model with the observation area, which could encompass a pilot or a set of sensors and/or video monitors would be up front of the jet engine intake. The observation area would pivot, similar to a double length bus in some cities, much like a snake. Thus when the aircraft was to make a turn the relative wind would assist in the rapid turning as the fuselage observation component turned as it would push on the side. The front part of the fuselage would then force air around it into the intake as the air tried to get around it, while simultaneously opening a larger portion of the intake to the relative wind prior to turning allowing for maximum thrust to be maintained as the turn was entered. Such abilities and erratic maneuverability would increase survival rates from SAMs – Surface to Air Missiles and other aircraft in dog fighting. We saw in the movie Matrix II that it was very difficult to hit and shoot down the swarms of UAVs as they moved like snakes. The aircraft would also have the latest directional thrust capabilities such as that of the hybrid F-16 with aerodynamic design to assist in trust vectoring performance. To help you better appreciate this concept I would like you to view this photo as well:

http://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/images/Optica.jpg

Our model will be similar but sleeker for high speeds, as well as flying within a non-atmospheric tube of plasma, created by pulsed waves in the direction of the intended flight to eliminate the friction from air. Later models would also include an antigravity criss-crossed wave disruptions within such non-atmospheric tubes for complete control, unbelievable acceleration, hovering and increased useful loads once in flight. There are a few other interesting models, within the thinking phase of the concept, which are not so dissimilar to the Optica. The front observation fuselage component would be similar to the head of a bee and the thorax being the body or the engine in our model, but it would be relatively thinner in design, more like a dragonfly in length to width ratios, but of course with out the long wings to cut down on drag for higher speeds. We envision swept canards on the front observation fuselage, which are much similar to that of a shark but horizontal and slightly curved upward to disrupt the air flow enough to keep any wing tip vortices coming off them as the aircraft turns flowing directly into the engine since additional thrust will be needed and intake ram air during intense flight maneuvers.

The front observation fuselage will not be perfectly bulbus on it’s nose cone, but be more closer to a tropical fish than completely spherical looking like the ‘Opitca’ aircraft. This will allow for more horizontal directional control in flight, as the aircraft front fuselage comes back towards the engine it will become more rounded to allow for maximum and stable airflow into the turbine. The engine component or middle fuselage will be 3.33 times as long as the observation fuselage and will taper off aft-ward. Under the fuselage will be the wings, with landing gear apparatus. Since directional thrust will assist in landing it will not have a substantial landing gear like conventional aircraft.

The forward observation fuselage will be made of composite, along with wings and rear fuselage along with a circle tail with a cross which will be the vertical and horizontal stabilizers which will pivot to assist the directional thrust exhaust nozzles, thus the directional thrust is blown across final tail assembly for stability and increased turning radius effectiveness as well as stability control. It will cost us about $35,000 to build a miniature version of this, which in turn could lend itself well to battlefield observations in urban settings. A full size human piloted version will run about $400,000 for a workable prototype. Although it would take several prototypes to build a unit worthy of the aerodynamic innovation and an even larger prototype to hold the weight of pulse wave technologies for gravity wave disruptions and plasma ionization, although well within the realm of possibilities and modern technologies.

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High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

By Varatha Rajan

The high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is designed to fly at 60,000 feet for months at a time, providing a carrier for a highly accurate and low cost alternative to expensive satellite (Launching cost is around $25000/kg of payload). HALE systems use advanced aircraft or airship technologies to provide mobile, usually uninhabited, platforms operating at altitudes in excess of 20 Km (stratospheric platforms).

The HALE platform would have many of the advantages of both terrestrial and satellite systems, while at the same time avoiding many of their pitfalls. Additional applications of HALE platforms include the ability to provide superior remote sensing performance compared to satellite systems for a wide range of civil applications involving time-varying or emerging phenomena (e.g. environmental science, atmospheric science, communications, ocean monitoring, law enforcement, customs, immigration, urban planning and monitoring, road traffic monitoring, pollution control and others) and for a wide range of military applications including imagery intelligence, signal intelligence, electronic warfare and military search and rescue.

HALE unmanned missions appear to be feasible using a lightweight, high efficiency, span-loaded, Solar Powered Aircraft (SPA) which includes a Regenerative Fuel Cell (RFC) system and novel tankage for energy storage. However, this design has complexity and weight penalties associated with thermal management, electrical wiring, plumbing, and structural weight. Another way to enable practically unlimited endurance is to supply the energy required for propulsion and payloads remotely. The dominating attention in this area has been given to the use of microwave transmission from ground, through a focused beam, to a receiving antenna on-board the aircraft.

None of the aircraft can carry large payloads (2,000 kg or more) at high altitudes and remain aloft for months at a time. An airship can do this. Because the airship uses buoyancy for its lift, it does not require as much power as a vehicle that derives its lift by propelling itself through the atmosphere. Consequently, airships do not need to stay in motion to remain aloft. Therefore, they can loiter over a specific location as well as move to a new location. In addition, airships can carry large-volume, heavy payloads. These characteristics make airships superb candidates for long-endurance surveillance missions.

However, a renewable energy airship, issues a challenge to design the power system, the propulsion system, and the craft’s aerodynamics as an organic whole. This yields the minimum mass system that can balance solar power generation against propulsive energy consumption given seasonal variations in winds and daylight. The current thinking for an airship’s renewable energy system is to employ a photovoltaic array coupled to an electrochemical energy storage system such as a fuel cell or battery. The other most frequently studied alternative energy production scheme considers beaming power from the earth’s surface to the airship. This would eliminate the mass penalties for energy storage, but requires significant investments to develop a safe and effective power beaming system.

The best approach for all weather, coastal surveillance is to use strategically stationed radars. Radar positioned at high altitudes permits viewing a large area with few stations. The coverage area of the airship is determined by calculating the distance to the horizon from the airship. This radial distance (S) is calculated based on the height of the airship (h) and the Earth’s radius (r).

S = Cos-1(r / r + h) r

Where earth radius r =6378.1Km.

A stratospherically stationed airship’s radar can observe approximately 500 km in any direction. With this viewing ability, a fleet of seven airships could provide continuous coverage of the entire Indian coastline. In contrast, it would take approximately 60 ships or land-based towers to observe the same territory. Besides the littoral coverage, the Stratospherically stationed airships observe 500 km out to sea. This translates to additional reaction time for intercepting unknown vehicles.

Our atmosphere is a very dynamic environment with great fluctuations in temperature, density, pressure, wind speed, and solar intensity. The environment’s influence is greater on a long-endurance, renewable energy airship than it is on conventional aircraft. This is due to two factors: the airship’s large size making it very sensitive to atmospheric winds and available sunlight limiting the power produced by the airship’s solar panels. In general, the airship can operate at any location that has sufficient solar intensity to generate the power needed to overcome wind drag and an atmosphere dense enough to maintain buoyancy.

Another operational approach is to employ multiple airships, which cycle through the high wind area. This would allow them to drift with the wind and still maintain continuous coverage. Once they drifted out of observational range, they could move to a low wind area and fly back inland for another cycle. The last operating option is to change altitude to avoid the high wind conditions since the high winds are transient and do not occur at all altitudes simultaneously.

As increasing numbers of countries see UAVs as an entry-level reconnaissance technology, small procurements worldwide will become more and more common in the next 10-20 years, if not in the next five.

Varatha Rajan is working as a Assistant Professor in Electronics and communication Engineering at VE Engineering College Chennai and author of satellitetvref.com – an informative website about various forms of Broadband Service. If you are interested in learning more about broadband, please visit http://www.satellitetvref.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Varatha_Rajan

Future Aircrafts - The Oblique Flying Wing Concept

By Dani Alonso

Talking about future aircraft is possibly one of the most exciting topics I can find. We must agree that in the last 40 years thousands of innovations have been brought to the airlines industry. Bigger, more powerful, quicker, greener, more automatic, stable, etc.

Unfortunately, during this last 40 years we can't speak of a real breakthrough on the world of transport planes. As an example, putting the shape of a Boeing 707 and an Airbus A340 one above the other we will find out that it is nearly the same, only that 40 years separate them.

Why? Due to the high risk involved with nowadays industry. Once upon a time we were able to innovate, people was able to spend time and money looking for new revolutionary projects. Actually, the high competence between companies makes that a brief risk analysis turns aways any possibility for real breakthrough.

We only need to move back to the Concorde case, and that makes it a lot easier to understand why companies are so afraid of thinking in an innovative way. There is place for small progressive changes but we have left back the major breakthroughs. That could give topic to some new articles, but in this one I want to explore one of the possibilities that have been brought as a future aircraft.

The Oblique Flying Wing is a project that began many years ago, back in 1979. It was a research project conducted by the NASA and the idea was to try a new design for an aircraft that had only one wing that crossed above the plane's body. This wing was able to turn on its vertical axis up to 60 degrees. This model was called AD-1.

This plane was a result of many aerodynamic investigations that brought to conclude that a wing that was able to pivot and face the direction of flying at certain degrees offered high performance advantages, specially reducing extremely the consumption of fuel by traveling at the same speed, as the drag force was reduced when pivoting the wing.

This revolutionary concept was showing the best results in stability when traveling at 1.4 times the speed of sound. A plane could take off with the wings in the normal position, and at same time that speed was increased while accelerating in the air, the wings would go pivoting and reaching the maximum degree when cruise speed was reached.

Unfortunately, the tests were driven with a small plastic and fiberglass plane that, for security reasons, was limited to a maximum speed of 170 mph. It was piloted successfully on 79 occasions and only poor handling qualities at sweep angles above 45 degrees were encountered. In any case, the reason for this problems was the low cost involved in the project, and theory and research demonstrated that if done properly, the plane should have been even more easy to pilot. The materials used, the size of the plane, and the low speed while testing high angles made the plane perform in non-optimum conditions.

The project was archived after resulting in success and new ideas have been developed since then following the same basics, up to a point where the wing could constitute the body of the plane themselves and would be able to pivot in the same way keeping the engines fix pointing to the direction of flying.

It is a shame that such an interesting project for supersonic flights involves so much risk and no aircraft manufacturer accepts to take it. Progressive developments are not risky, but have an important point to consider: are we developing progressively along a path with no exit?

Dani Alonso

For more information on planning a trip, you can visit http://the-dream.ws

For information on airplanes and traveling deals: http://the-dream-trip.blogspot.com

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Muscle Car Spoilers

By Peter Emerson

A muscle car spoiler is a car spoiler attached on a muscle car, which is a term for high-performance cars, primarily American models produced between 1964 and 1974. Muscle car spoilers make the vehicle unique and stand out in the crowd. Often with flashy, sporty styling, these mid-sized cars have special trims and large powerful engines (V8 engines). The special trims are intended for utmost acceleration on the street or in drag racing competition.

The muscle car models initially sported only rear spoilers. The construction of front spoilers not only enhanced the appearance, but also added functionality in terms of aerodynamic design. The muscle car spoilers, both frontal and rear spoilers, are usually molded into the bumper caps. This arrangement helps to reduce the car’s lift and drag and increase its downforce. Subsequently, these would ensure increase in traction, permitting the car to brake, turn, and accelerate properly and more forcefully.

Muscle car spoilers come in various sizes, shapes, and materials. In early cars, spoilers were made of plastic. Those were not fit to survive the constant exposure of UV rays of the sun. The spoilers are now made from polyurethane, which are durable and sturdy materials. A few are also made from lightweight steel or fiberglass. A car with a good spoiler means that there is less resistance, which would result in a higher top speed.

Some of the muscle car models that come with spoilers include the Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO, the Buick Riviera Gran Sport, the Dodge Charger, the Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS, and Oldsmobile Cutlass 442. The Pontiac Tempest installed its first rear spoiler in 1969, along with other accessories such as decals, and a 366 horsepower, Ram Air III V8. The Dodge Charger Daytona built in 1969 features front spoiler and a huge rear deck spoiler.

Spoilers provides detailed information on Car Spoilers, Car Spoilers, Muscle Car Spoilers, Affordable Car Spoilers and more. Spoilers is affiliated with Chrome Rims.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson

Spoilers

By Peter Emerson

Spoiler refers to a long narrow plate along the upper surface of an airplane wing that may be raised for reducing lift and increasing drag. In automobile parlance, the spoiler is an air deflector fixed on the vehicle to reduce its tendency to lift off the road at high speeds. A spoiler transforms even an old, dull looking vehicle into a handsome one and stimulates the vehicle’s resale price. This, coupled with its aerodynamic quality, persuades many customers to go in for this trendy, sporty accessory.

Spoilers were initially installed only on racing cars and some superior sports cars, mainly due to their special utility value in such vehicles, including reducing its lift and drag and increasing the downforce. These would ensure increase in traction, permitting the car to brake, turn, and accelerate properly and more forcefully.

These days, a variety of street vehicles are equipped with spoilers. Auto spoilers are available as car spoilers (front and rear spoilers), tailgate spoilers, truck cap spoilers, and tonneau cover spoilers. Spoilers are available for minivans and vans and rear window spoilers are common for SUVs.

Spoilers usually come with sealing gaskets that are made of a sponge-like material and mounting bolts. It is quite difficult to find an alternative aftermarket spoiler with holes to match. If a car owner is substituting his factory spoiler with a factory replica, companies often advise him/her to get another spoiler from the factory.

Spoilers are quite easy to install and available at reasonable prices. There should be no compromise in quality. Installing spoilers is a process that needs specialized tools and devices. The installer should have a good understanding of how to attach the spoiler to the car. Having good spoilers on a vehicle indicates that there is less resistance, which would result in a higher speed.

Spoilers provides detailed information on Car Spoilers, Car Spoilers, Muscle Car Spoilers, Affordable Car Spoilers and more. Spoilers is affiliated with Chrome Rims.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emerson

Tonneau Covers Protect Truck Beds and Reduce Drag

By Charlotte Alice

Tonneau covers serve utilitarian as well as aesthetic purposes. Many people prefer the look of a tidy streamlined cover to that of an empty, open truck bed. Beyond aesthetic appeal, there are several practical reasons to incorporate a Tonneau cover into your truck’s exterior styling.

First of all, as anyone can tell you, open truck beds produce drag. Drag is the force that is fundamentally opposite from that of thrust, or the forward motion of a propelled object. The faster the driving speed, the more drag is produced. For this reason, people that regularly drive cross country at high speeds are throwing money out the window in terms of the extra money they’re spending on purchasing gasoline to run their vehicle if they do not do something to reduce the extreme amounts of drag that are produced by large open truck beds.

The rear-most lip of the truck bed is, naturally, the portion of the truck that creates the most drag. Also, smaller trucks and other sport utility vehicles may not have the same level of drag problem, but will benefit from using a Tonneau cover. Most people that drive full-sized pickup trucks notice a marked difference in gas mileage rates as well as driving performance on the highway.

In addition to aesthetics and aerodynamic factors, Tonneau covers also provide protection against theft. If would be thieves cannot see or easily access items stored in a truck bed, they will not be nearly as likely to attempt stealing them.

One of the biggest advantages of using a Tonneau Cover over other systems for enclosing the open bed area is that Tonneau Covers are generally much more affordable than other brands. They offer several styles and colors that will fit any truck owner’s budget.

The different systems offered by Tonneau Covers is the rail system, the low profile rail system and the hook & loop system. The most popular version is the traditional rail system Tonneau Cover. This design utilizes a perimeter of anodized aluminum framing that mounts quickly and easily without the use of any screws of adhesive. Also, a special key is provided for easy removel of the framed rail system.

The low profile Tonneau Cover design is comprised of the same pieces that the rail system is, except that the more traditional snap style heads are used instead of the hidden fasteners of the rail system.

The hook & loop Tonneau Cover system is quite different from the other two designs in that self-adhesive strips are placed around the top outer edge of the truck bed. These adhesive strips have a Velcro material on the exposed side, as does the underside of the cover.

All Tonneau Covers come with straps that are located at the front end of the truck bed. These are to easily secure the rolled up cover when large objects are too tall to have the Tonneau Cover placed over them. When the cover is not in use it can be rolled up and secured with no worry about the cover blowing away.

To find out more information about this topic, please visit Tonneau Cover.

Charlotte Alice represents UK Dropshipper and Online Web Publisher.

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Knowing Your Golf Balls - The Dimples Count

By Nathalie Fiset

Although they may appear like ordinary game equipment, golf balls are actually the products of physics and years of golfing tradition.

According to the standard international rules of golf, a single golf ball should not weigh over 45.93 grams, or close to two ounces. Its diameter should always exceed 1.68 inches, or 42.67 mm. A golf ball, moreover, should be in the shape of a symmetrical sphere. Golf balls, moreover, are scrutinized by two main accrediting bodies: the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the United States Golf Association. If golf balls do not pass the tests and standards set by these two associations, these balls cannot be used in a golfing competition.

Such is the strictness associated with golf, but despite its seemingly misplaced austerity, the rules are not without their merits. Golf, after all, has been around for centuries, and the game as we know it today can be traced back to the Scots. Golf balls, moreover, can spell the success of a game: hit it right and swing it in the right direction, and you can land a hole in one. That, of course, discounts the effect of the wind, the sun in your eyes, the humidity in the air, and the overall setup of the golf course, but the importance of golf balls and their design can still not be discounted.

To understand how golf balls move and impact a game, it is important to look at how basic physics can affect the game of golf. The impact between the edge of a golf club and the golf ball lasts no more than a millisecond, but it is this impact that can ultimately judge how fast the ball can travel, at what angle it is launched, and the rate at which it spins - all of which will determine its final location. There are two main aerodynamic forces that act on the ball: lift, which buoys it through its trajectory; and drag, which forces it back and keeps it from moving.

In any sport, decreasing the drag on equipment will ultimately increase one's control over the equipment itself. The same is true in golf: if the overall drag on the golf ball is released, it can fly faster and follow one's intended direction better. This is why golf balls have dimples. These dimples can decrease drag by reducing the wake turbulence caused by the ball traveling through the air. Wake turbulence can be especially high in non-dimpled balls.

Dimples, moreover, can increase the backspin on a ball. In general, a backspin can increase a ball's lift by altering the shape of the air as it flows and forms around the ball. With more back spinning, a ball can fly much higher, and even longer in the air. However, dimples can also accumulate dust and grime, so golfers need to wash their equipment frequently, balls included. A clean golf ball translates into a balanced ball, cleared out dimples, and a game where the golfer is in better, greater control.

A golf ball will have, on average, anywhere from three hundred to nearly five hundred dimples. All balls have an even number of dimples, although there is only one kind of ball with odd numbers available on the market. This 333-dimpled ball is acceptable in golf games. A golf ball, moreover, has to be symmetrical, since a non-symmetrical golf ball can sometimes adjust its axis during mid-flight, and can wobble, causing direction changes that may or may not favor a golfer.

Aside from the position of the club, a golf ball can determine the merit of a shot. It may be surprising to outsiders, but a golfer can usually make more bad than good shots. This is because there are many possible factors that can allow the game to go wrong, such as sudden changes in wind speed and direction, differences in humidity at varying elevations of the golf course, and even the slightest noise from the crowd or the golfer's companions just before the golfer makes his swing. Such golfing mistakes can be described by a variety of terms, such as a slice, where the ball curves sharply in the direction of the player's playing hand; or a worm burner, where the ball bounces vigorously on the ground.

If you are interested in purchasing golf balls, then inquire at your local golf equipment store. Because there are many different brands available on the market, you will need to consult with an expert on what brands of balls are best for your game, and which are approved by international golfing committees. Before you tee off, clean your balls and make sure that they are free of dust and grime. With clean equipment and good working knowledge of golf, you can play a fulfilling and more enjoyable game.

For more complete information on golf please go to: http://www.bestgolfer.net/golf-balls.html http://www.bestgolfer.net http://www.drnathaliefiset.com

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Aerodynamic Inflatable Wing Gates for STOL

By Lance Winslow

Low speed flight characteristic are crucial to safety. Those aircraft that have good flight characteristics at low speeds are favored by pilots and the companies, military, NGO or private individuals who operate them. One way to increase positive slow speed flight characteristics is to install vertical gates on top of the wings of the aircraft to keep the air flowing over the wing at slow speeds. The only problem is that at high speeds these gates may also cause increased parasite drag which effects performance.

I propose inflatable wing gates to pop up on modern day aircraft to allow for slower stall speeds on landing. This will increase tire and decrease landing speeds for increased safety. Additionally it will assist the aircraft by decreasing take roll. The gates on the end of the wing will also change the stall and spin characteristics for better handling in critical flight situations while preventing unpredictable departures from flight. These gates will be filled with ram air prior to landing or approaching high angles of attack or stall speeds. Before takeoff these inflatable gates will blown up into place with small canisters. The gates will use the same air in the lines which are cross fed so that one gate cannot come up or stay up without the other. The gates will fold straight up and recessed into the wing with a panel, which pops outward. The hinges will be on the side closest to the end of the wing not the fuselage as to not upset the already turbulent airflows at high angles of attack or near stall speeds. Think on this concept.

How Do Bees Really Fly; Think Tank Discussion

By Lance Winslow

It was recently determined that Bees aerodynamically speaking cannot fly. At least using all the known equations for lift, thrust, drag and weight used in the aerodynamic text books so routinely used by aerospace engineers and aircraft designers. But how can this bee possible? Well it seems rather obvious that the bee has evolved to use other strategies to fly.

This issue was recently brought up in an online think tank and discussed between myself and another member and you might find the discussion rather fascinating indeed.

Warren states: “A part of the intent of my writing this does invite testing and challenges to this 'perception' I have of the dynamics of the flight of the bee. Those are welcome too, but remember all of the theory needs to be affirmed via testing and application.”

Ah, so are you wishing to build a better bee to prove concept or test an actual bee in its evolved natural organic form? Because hasn’t the US Military already done such?

Warren states; “I perceive (like one of the five blind men around the elephant) a set of standing waves beneath each wing of the bee.”

Like an extended boundary layer and in that air beneath the wing of the bee the sound waves help change the density of the air and thus allow the Bee to ride on an air cushion rather than regular air, which is much thinner? Or are you stated the bee creates a low-pressure area underneath, doing the exact opposite? Well sure this could work. Here is a thought:

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Now then if we could use this methodology we could fly an MAV with high wing loading in a thinner atmosphere; so of course I am thinking Mars. And exploration tools for astronauts, robotics, artificial intelligence androids on the surface?

Warren states; “Have you ever been skiing in the snow? The bee creates his own mountain of snow, so to speak, and simply glides down that mountain. If an increase in elevation is required, more energy is expended, the (two) mountains with one valley in between the two 'sound-mountains', simply grows larger, the bee glides forward on this dynamic ‘sound-skier’s’ paradise.”

I have actually no problem with your theory so far.

Warren states; “As the bee flies, it can exchange forward momentum for vertical assent. Ever notice how a bee does not calmly and normally fly straight up? A bee can do that, but it is not the normal mode of flight, it does that when it is stressed or has no other option.”

Okay so the Bee simply uses the denser air underneath tilts his wings at a 45-degree angle uses deflection off the denser air it produced and thrusts upward? Piece of cake, I have no problem with this. In fact I do not even care if a Bee actually does that, as we can build something that does just what you say I bet?

Warren states; “If a bee is not stressed, the bee will glide upward, energy exertion is gradual in this mode, only when a bee is under stress will it exert enough energy to fly nearly vertically upward.”

Yes this would be very efficient like a kite as the youth runs forward straight up it goes. The Bee similarly uses the deflection it created of thicker air, built up by flapping and buzzing on the air molecules.

Warren states; “Think of a bee as a skier, a skier making a ‘mountain of sound-snow’. This 'mountain' is a wing-shaped sound wave pattern as it is pressed away from the wing face. It looks just like a wing and gets larger the further from the wing you move. There are two of these dynamic "mountains" of sound energy, one under each wing.”

Got it, yes, no problem I have thought here before, not with Bees, but with thoughts on super maneuverability for UAVs.

Warren state; “The way the bee controls flight is by rotating the base of the wing clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the bee's torso. If a left turn in level flight is required then the mountain of sound under the left wing is rotated counterclockwise, relative to the torso, the sound energy mountain is larger in the front left quadrant of the bee's trajectory; there is more 'drag' on the left side of the bee and the left rotation, or left turn is executed.”

Yes, I have no problem with this.

Warren states; “It would be similar to tucking a rocket engine under each of your armpits, large enough to lift you from the earth, just enough to hover there. You still have to contend with gravity, I imagine it would take a while to learn to do this, but trajectory as you flew would look just as does the bee's trajectory.”

Yes but in your theory you have given the Bee, UAV, Aircraft, Helicopter, anti-gravity device, UFO, steerable ordinance, blimp or Superman one hell of an advantage over gravity haven’t you?

Warren states; “You watch them next time and just let them show you what they are doing. You will see it if you quiet yourself and observe. This is what I meant in the sentence above, that I suspect bees "create and direct, sound energy, specifically, dynamic sound structures or patterns, standing waves for example."

Makes sense to me. Could this indeed be how the Bee defies our knowledge of physics and aerodynamic principles? Are humans so egocentric that they failed to notice this before? Has evolution simply beat mankind again and showed him the errors of his ways? Can we use these tricks of the Bees to build flying “pods” or cars, which will fly at 5 to 10 times the efficiency of modern aircraft? Perhaps we should have been told more about the birds and bees? Consider all this in 2006.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Some Useful Tips for Improving Your Dodge's Fuel Economy

By Terry Brown

As global oil prices continue to rise meteorically to record levels, we have to find ways to improve our cars' fuel economy and save money. Especially now that drivers are doing a lot more traveling than ever, the importance of fuel economy cannot be over emphasized. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that vehicle miles traveled by the average American has increased by over 115%. This increase in miles traveled and the present dilemma of rising fuel prices means that we are spending more on our fuel than ever before. Thus, we have to find ways to save money on gas and improve fuel efficiency, especially if our vehicles are not really known for their excellent gas mileage.

There are many ways you can significantly improve the fuel economy of your vehicle. Managing your vehicle by minimizing operating costs on gas as well as minimizing emissions is our goal. Here are some helpful tips you can use to help you achieve a fuel-efficient and environmentally conscious vehicle. Start by determining your car's actual gas mileage or your car's miles per gallon. If your car has poor gas mileage then it is more important than ever to start improving your fuel economy. You can do this by changing your driving habits. Take your time and drive slower, instead of 60mph, try driving at 70mph. Although it may take you longer to reach your destination, what is important is you can save up to $5 in gas costs because of the reduction in speed. This is because aerodynamic drag increases as you drive faster and gas mileage deteriorates at speeds of over 60mph.

Regular maintenance is a very effective way to improve and keep up your car's fuel economy. The simple reason is that a poorly maintained car works harder; and a car that has to work harder will definitely use up more fuel. Thus, maintenance issues such as under inflated tires, dirty and clogged air filters, spark plugs and fuel injectors must be resolved. Make sure that your tires are inflated to their proper pressures. Tires that are in good condition and properly inflated provide less road resistance thus improving fuel. You should also check tire pressure regularly and look out for signs of uneven wear or gas leaks that could compromise your tire's performance.

Another excellent way to cut your fuel costs is by planning your vehicle use in such a way that you can combine, streamline and consolidate your trips and reduce unnecessary travel. You should also avoid excess idling, which is a waste of fuel. Stop your engine if you think your car will be idle for more than 30 seconds. You can also minimize air conditioning and use your car's flow-through ventilation. You should also check which gas you use, stick with the right octane gas indicated in your car's manual.

Have your Dodge regularly checked by your trusted auto mechanic. Give more attention to those auto parts that are connected to the fuel consumption of your car such as Dodge fuel tanks, Dodge catalytic converters, Dodge gas tanks, Dodge radiators and others. If your Dodge's parts are either defective or is not functioning properly then it is necessary and wise to replace these auto parts as soon as possible. You can save more money in the end by replacing dysfunctional parts and ensuring that everything in your car is in tiptop shape.

However, make sure that you purchase the best Dodge Parts only from a trusted and reliable auto parts store. Pick an auto parts supplier with an excellent reputation in the auto parts industry.

Inner Auto Parts is one of the many auto parts wholesalers today, but stands out from the rest because it is a reliable source of useful and relevant automotive information and a known expert in the field of auto parts. They now have an excellent auto parts store that offers top quality Dodge Parts including Dodge A/C Condensers, Dodge Lights, Dodge Weatherstripping, Dodge wheels and other major product categories. With excellent quality, replacement Dodge auto parts from Inner Auto Parts, you can be sure that your car is maintained in excellent condition thereby improving its fuel economy and helping you save money on gas.

Terry Brown is a 32 year old from Houston Texas, and an enthusiast for anything auto related. He is currently employed as a market analyst by one of the top car parts company in the area.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Brown

Efficiencies and Coefficients of Drag in Convoys

By L. Winslow

Lance Armstrong can go faster to win in the Tour de France by using drafting strategies and the NASCAR Driver's know of this too, as they use the opponents to block the wind. Working together in this way, they can conserve energy or fuel or both.

In trucking drivers know they can move faster down the road and conserve fuel when they get in a big line of trucks and barrel down the highway. To make this a safer event Efficiencies and Coefficients of Drag in Convoys can be improved by the use of radar following devices.

With the use of the sensors the trucks in a convoy will be able to drive extremely close together and therefore save considerable fuel due to large decreases in drag. For instance driving 75 mile per hour and less than 3-feet apart and do it safely. How on Earth could that be possible you ask?

The trucks will line up and communicate with one another. Each new truck can speed up and get in line and the guidance system and radar can be set for ultra-efficient convoy mode and it will slowly close the gap. Additionally when the system is dis-engaged it will alert the other truck systems to back off a safe distance to allow the truck in line out of the convoy.

In the future this will all come to pass and it will indeed save a large amount of diesel fuel in the US and it will prevent truck accidents and save lives. This is why these technologies are forthcoming and why researchers and designers are working on them now.

L. Winslow is an Aerodynamics, Technology and Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entreprenuer. Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Winslow

The Anatomy of a Golf Ball

By Milos Pesic

For something that’s so diminutive, you’ll never know that a golf ball contains the deeper science of aerodynamics. Or do you think that the dimples (the pockmark impressions on golf ball) are just there by chance?

The anatomy of a golf ball is indeed composed of several sciences, one of them is aerodynamics and another is ballistics. The dimple designs are there to provide lift.

The Aerodynamics of Golf Balls

In aerodynamics, path of flight are explained with four different factors: the lift opposed by the weight, the thrust opposed by the drag. The power of the swing provides the thrust and the angle of the flight is supplied by the angle of impact on the golf ball. Naturally the wider the angle the steeper the ball climbs. As soon as the ball is shot from the tee, the power of the swing provides its thrust, and it elevates corresponding to the angle of the club. Naturally, the higher the loft the golf face has the higher the elevation it achieves. This is evident on sand traps where irons with wide wedges are used to clear the buggers.

As soon as the golf ball achieves its flight, the air will immediately impede on the thrust. Thus what we call drag. It kills the distance and in the past, golf balls have shorter travel distance. That is because misinformed science in the past have been rationalizing that smoother golf balls do also have “smoother” travel in the air. But the resulting effect was a flop, or rather a “plop”. The balls fall shorter. Golf was then a game of strength.

By fluke, deformed golf balls were played and it was found to have truer flight than the smooth ones. Now golf ball with protrusions were being manufactured. Many styles were being tested, until the dimpled type was found out to have the truest flight. Now a game of golf is a game of finesse. As of now, dimples came in round impressions but recent studies have shown that hexagonal impressions provide better lift than the round ones.

The Ballistics of Golf Balls

With lift being tackled by modern science, now came the science of ballistics, the science of maximum range or known as trajectory. Trajectory is involved with several factors, one of them is the dimples and another is the core. The solid core of the golf ball affects primarily its spin rate (control), compression (feel), and velocity (distance). Cores come in two classes, the solid core designed to amplify power and the liquid core that generally has lesser power (liquid absorbs the shock) but affords awesome control like tricky backspin and green holding.

Milos Pesic is an avid golfer and owner of the most comprehensive Golf Information Pages. Visit now to find out all you wanted to know about golf, golf equipment, tips, resorts and much more.

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What Are Golf Balls Made Of That Make Them Go So Far?

By Gregg Hall

In the chemistry of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics, surface structures are vital physical element. History has it that there are things that seem to be peculiar on their make-up hundreds of years ago which eventually came up with a better composition based on scientific research. And a golf ball is the best paradigm of this theoretical stand in history.

During the earliest days of golf on the eastern coast of Scotland, most players used ancient apparatus in order to play the game in a more disorganized and informal way. Here, the first clubs and golf balls are made up of wood.

It was on 1618 that the feather golf ball was finally introduced. This was commonly known as the "Featherie". This feather golf ball was a handcrafted ball made with goose feathers securely pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere. This is being done while the ball is still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded creating a hardened ball.

But because these kinds of golf balls are specially handcrafted, they usually cost higher than the clubs. In doing so, only a few privileged people could afford to play golf during those times.

Next, came the Guttie golf ball. This prehistoric kind of golf ball was made from the rubber like sap of the Gutta tree that can be found in the tropics. Normally, these Guttie balls can be easily shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually used as a golf ball. With its rubber nature, guttie balls can be cheaply reproduced and can be easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.

However, between the two earliest forms of golf balls, the feather golf ball was said to travel farther than the gutties. This is due to the smooth surface of the gutties that limits the capacity of the golf ball to cover more distance.

With this new scientific analysis, the developers of golf ball finally came up with balls with the "dimples" that are predominant in modern golf balls nowadays.

Dimples are crafted into golf balls so as to reduce the aerodynamic drag, which will be acting on the ball if it were totally smooth. This is because smooth balls, when sailing through the air, leave a huge pocket of low-pressure air in its stir therefore creating a drag. With the application of drag, the ball slows down.

Hence, by having dimples on golf balls, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball. This, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results to a smaller wake and lesser drag.

Dimples also help players to put backspin on a shot making the golf ball break off on the putting green.

The idea of putting dimples on golf balls can be traced back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. It was during this time when the players observed how their shots become more and more predictable as their balls turned rough from play.

When William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell ball in 1905, golf balls finally took their modern form.

From then on, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf balls took its form with standard size and weight.

Today, there is an abundant selection of golf balls to fit different golf game and condition. There are golf balls that offer control, while some offer distance. In whatever ways golf balls vary, only one thing is common and known. Golf balls are not just elements of the sports arena; they are more than ever paradigm of a concept in physics.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as logo golf balls at http://www.personalizedgolfballsplus.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Hall

Breaking The Drag Coefficient Barrier

By Tonami Playman

Wind Tunnels have helped the aeronautic and automobile industry reduce drag by designing shapes that lower drag coefficients. Aerodynamics was taken seriously in automobiles in the late 20s-mid 30s and some car makers have used the wind tunnel to design their cars. The earliest examples of this include the Chrysler Airflow, Tatra cars from Czech republic. These were some of the first cars to use aerodynamics to their advantage.

The influence of aerodynamics have been both functional and stylistic. We have seen the average drag coefficients (CD) of cars drop to around 0.30 which is very impressive, but since then there has been a stagnation as car makers focus more on other things and put aerodynamics to the side. Most of the newer cars from the aerodynamic champions Mercedes and Lexus have a higher drag coefficient than their preceding model which is a step backward.

Some cars have stood out with exemplary CDs. Among them, the Audi A2 with 0.25-0.28, the Lexus LS430 with 0.25, the Honda insight with 0.25, Toyota Prius with 0.26 and the Honda European Accord with 0.26. Unfortunately all these cars except the Prius and the Honda accord are no longer in production. Car makers should be striving for lower number in-cooperating clever designs that use wind tunnel data to bring about more aerodynamic cars lowering fuel economy to a greater degree. Now is the time to break the cd .20 barrier and move the aerodynamics of cars to another level. nature has used this to its advantage its about time we catch up.

Tonami Playman is a computer science student at Knoxville college. He is an avid information consumer and contributer in computer and automotive circles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tonami_Playman

Optimizing the Aerodynamic Balance of your Car

By Miroslav Ovcharik

Aerodynamics can be used to control the handling of a car in high-speed corners (greater than approximately 60 mph). Aerodynamic components push down on the car, or create downforce, which helps the tires maintain better traction. The two main aerodynamic upgrades are front bumpers and rear wings. While these two components can increase cornering speeds when installed on your car, they will also increase drag and limit your top speed.

Aerodynamic components should only be used to tune high speed cornering characteristics. They will have little or no effect on low-speed handling. Additionally, aerodynamics should be relied upon to increase the overall grip of your car. It should not be used to correct severe understeer or oversteer. Try to rely upon mechanical suspension tuning to control understeer/oversteer. Only turn to aerodynamics as a last resort. This is because aerodynamic grip cannot always be relied upon in a racing situation. For instance, if you are closely following another car, there will be less air flowing over your car because the car in front is breaking through the air for you. The reduced airflow (and therefore downforce) on your car will cause you to lose grip. If you rely heavily on aerodynamics to improve handling, your car will become difficult to drive when you are in close proximity with other cars.

Aerodynamic components work by deflecting air in a way to create a downward force on the car. Air hits the car at an angle, which pushes the car into the ground. At the same time, the air gets deflected up and over the car. Aggressively sloped front bumpers and large wings will generally create more downforce than small wings and mild front bumpers.

Usually, it is not possible to adjust the amount of front downforce without changing your front bumper. However, wings often have inserts and angle adjustments that can be used to change rear downforce. By increasing wing angle or adding wing inserts, you increase downforce on the rear of the car. This pushes the rear wheels more firmly into the ground and prevents them from slipping. Oversteer can be corrected in this way. If your car understeers in high-speed corners, you can reduce the angle of the wing or take out wing inserts to reduce rear downforce and correct the understeer. Keep in mind that adding downforce will help you increase your cornering speeds but will lower your top speed due to the extra drag. Still, you will usually want to maximize the downforce because the majority of road courses do not have very long straights. On a track with long straights, reducing downforce (and therefore drag) may improve your lap times.

Visit my website for more information about tuning for aerodynamic balance.

I have been an automotive enthusiast throughout my life and have participated successfully in various amateur racing series. I specialize in tuning the Nissan S platform cars, particularly the US domestic market Nissan 240SX. Visit my website, which focuses on Nissan 240SX modifications, to get information about suspension setup, quality upgrades, and general 240SX tuning.

Feel free to republish my articles, but please include a text link to http://www.240edge.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Miroslav_Ovcharik

Top of Truck Advertising to Pay for Improved Aerodynamics for Fuel Economy

By Lance Winslow

Trucking costs have skyrocketed due to fuel price increases and those costs have been passed onto the companies, which pay the shippers to ship their products to market. In doing so those companies will pass these costs onto consumers in the form of higher product costs. Now before you say; Yah, obviously, so what? Well it affects you in a big way, because everything you buy gets there by truck.

In fact trucking companies have a saying; “If you bought it, then a truck brought it!” So it behooves the consumer, the companies, which pay to have their products shipped and the trucking companies to look at ways to improve fuel efficiencies and as they do everyone wins. Including you and I with more money in our pockets to improve and/or maintain our quality of life and standard of living.

One of the biggest things a trucking company or shipping company can do to improve their fuel costs is to have aerodynamically streamlined trucks. I propose having dual shell designs for the tops of truck trailers, which are like a wave, which are slightly offset. The structural integrity will be maintained with the inner shell or normal skin on top of the flat trailer, but the outer skin will be a super lightweight material which will be designed for the best aerodynamic co-efficient of drag for cruise speed. Thus allowing the truck to move thru the airflows in the most natural way.

To pay for the tops of all the trucks to be outfitted with these; I further propose the laws of economies of scale to keep the costs down along with advertising companies to sell ads for the tops of trucks. Anyone in a multi-story building will see them or even someone sitting in traffic or driving over an over pass. Think on this in 2006.

Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics of the Marine Life and Uses for AI, UAVs, Robotics, and the Future

By Lance Winslow

Air has 750 times less density as the oceans, yet so many of the same principles apply there as well. We are quite familiar with marine life and the performance abilities of sharks, dolphins, penguins, fish, alligators, etc. Mankind is quite fascinated by marine life and often tries to use these observations to create devices to serve him.

A Great White Shark can swim 7 times as fast as the Olympic swimmers in Athens taking the gold this year, yet it is not even close to being the fastest in the water. Powerful, yes indeed, but the need for speed limits its abilities to catch some of its favorite meals. Luckily humans are not one of them, as much as JAWS I, II and III would have you believe. The Great White Shark swims at about 25 mph. Squids can move through the water at 20 mph. The Blue Shark has been clocked in short bursts at 43 mph yet its average cruising speed in open water is between 17.7 and 24.5 mph. The Make Short Fin can travel at 10 times its body length per second, which is quite fast and amounts to over 46 mph at top speed. It can accelerate at 45 feet per second/ per second, faster than a rock can fall or a human accelerates after he departs a perfectly good airplane in search for an adrenaline rush to achieve sense of purpose. A human can swim at 5.04 mph, but only for short distances and you have to be a Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps to it for very long.

http://www.ncsu.edu/ligon/olympics/Spitz/MarkS.html

As good as these super star athletes are, they are no match for evolution, without modification. You might be happy to know that a barracuda will catch you and nibble before a great white shark will catch you in open water, they can swim at 27 mph, one of the fastest, well and hungriest fish in the water. Mammal Sea Life is quite adapted; Sea Lion 25 mph, Common Dolphin 24.7, Gentoo Penguin 17, Blue Whale 29.76, Bottle Nose Dolphin 17 mph. Many of the fish eaten by the marine life of prey are also quite adapted for instance the Pacific Salmon can swim at 14 mph. Then there are the flying fish, those, which leap out of the water and become airborne, thus proving that there is a similarity between the two realms. The flying fish flies at 35 mph and has been known to fly right into a boat, for an easy catch. The Leaping Albacore Tuna leaps at 40 mph great sushi no doubt, the Yellow Fin Tuna at 46.35, the Sword Fish 60 mph and the Sail Fish at 68 mph. Here is a claim from Barbados that a flying fish was clocked at 55 mph?

Well maybe, but not if Hurricane Ivan has anything to say about it because if that fish pops out of the water it is liable to be doing some 135 mph within a few feet of leaving the waters surface and might be airborne for quite a while too? Now that would certainly be a new record.

Does this mean we might also wish to look at Fish and Sea Life Evolution in the aerodynamic designs of aircraft, UAVs, Blimps and Olympic Swim Gear? Yes, this is one of the points of this dialogue. Does this mean we should look at aviation designs for submarine, AUVs, ship hulls and underwater submersibles? Should we also be designing underwater bases for aircraft, spacecraft and double use vessels? Flying AUVs, which become UAVs? Designing flying torpedoes, Mechanical Fish and MAVs, which look like the flying fish photo too? Yes, it does. If you made a mechanical fish what good would it be? Hunting water mines, data relays, additional net-centric communication unit?

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?showtopic=218

If nature can do these things, so can we and we have been constantly re-designing and bettering natures methods. If an eagle has 3-4 better times the eye sight and can see, react and adapt while in-flight that quickly, yet has less of a brain to coordinate all the data yet has also developed triple the reflex or response time, should we be looking into how this is done? For instance does an Eagle use some sort of visual frame bursting, for instance it knows the type of fish it likes to eat which tastes good and is the right weight and size and when it sees this it’s brain fills in the details and it’s eyes only focus on the slight variations of motion and detail so it knows where to pick it up at and how best to snatch it out of the water? We know that our brains use up about 45% of the brain capacity in visual cognition. What does the Eagle do with all the many flights and all that data for it’s memory, it cannot possibly store it all, does it have a Random Access Memory Data dump like when you windows computer crashes? Does it only save the frames and basic shapes and let the eyes fill in the rest of the details each time? We should test this as it is important to know.

We know the human brain can be fooled often enough when something appears to be close to something we are familiar with. What can we learn from these birds besides their aerodynamics. Is it possible to play optical tricks on an Eagle? For instance make a small AUV, which mimics a salmon fish? Will the Eagle be fooled by this? Old Eagle eyes, or will the Eagles excellent eye sight trigger another wave in it’s brain, as if to ask itself; “Hey something is fishy about that fish?” Would such a thought from an Eagle significantly activate it’s brain for a second look, before diving upon it’s prey? It appears in humans this does activate an additional brain wave.

Since Eagles do not flock are do they communicate and navigate, migrate using ELF, entangled brains with other eagles? Only their immediate families from the same mother or nest? This too would be of value for determining AI for robotic UAVs as part of the net centric warfare situation.

As we look at Artificial Intelligence models perhaps we should be looking at other species, which seem to be able to do more with less. Less brain capacity, yet still think. Perhaps we ought to dump the ego into thinking that mankind is the only animal which can reason and adapt on this Planet, we have significant proof of other animals here doing quite fine in the thinking region. If we open our minds we may find other species may in fact supercede our abilities in many aspects. Is the future of robotics going to the birds with regards to UAVs and MAVs as the needs of mankind and the competitiveness of the species looks towards innovation as the ultimate contest and in our speed to achieve we find ourselves bettering hundreds of thousands of years of evolution with breakthrough after break through?

Robots to really assist us must have some fuzzy logic capabilities at minimum and to be most effective they must also have some artificial intelligence capabilities to serve our needs, as mankind has no end in sight to the tasks it wishes to assign to robotic apparatuses.

Press-on will solve all that mankind desires. There are clues everywhere and one might ask what is taking us so long anyway, where would you like to go today? We need to ratchet up the thinking here and move forward in this arena.

Aerodynamics

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Spoilers

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Efficiencies and Coefficients of Drag in Convoys

The Anatomy of a Golf Ball

What Are Golf Balls Made Of That Make Them Go So Far?

Breaking The Drag Coefficient Barrier

Optimizing the Aerodynamic Balance of your Car

Top of Truck Advertising to Pay for Improved Aerodynamics for Fuel Economy

Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics of the Marine Life and Uses for AI, UAVs, Robotics, and the Future

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