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Wingspan and Hang Time
Name: Rachel
Status: student
Grade: 9-12
Country: Australia
Date: Summer 2012
Question:
How does the wingspan of a plane affect the ability of the hang time? What is the best way to achieve a longer hang time?
Replies:
Rachel
I believe you are using the term “hang time” to mean lift because the more lift a wing generates, the longer the aircraft will be in the air.
So I hope that changing your question to read “how does the wingspan of an airfoil effect lift?” satisfies your question.
Details are here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lift_%28force%29
What it comes down to is the Lift Coefficient (L)
Where
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/math/d/b/7/db7735d03f8de6082982164856a0d8ba.png
L=1/2PV(square)ACl (see above location)
where
L is lift force,
ñ is air density
v is true airspeed,
A is planform area, and
is the lift coefficient at the desired angle of attack, Mach number, and Reynolds number
As can be seen from this equation, Lift is directly proportional to the planform area of the wing, and the longer the wing, the greater its planform area, the planform area being the total area of the wing.
Sincere regards,
Mike Stewart
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Update: November 2011
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