How Model Airplanes Fly

After the successful flight of the man-carrying vehiclechord. Balancing it is by placing your fingers on both
made by the Wright brothers, interest in aviationsides of the wing, then relocating the receiver, batteries
spread rapidly and many models were made. Modeland servos until the airplane is balanced.
airplane enthusiasts are already existing in the earlyYou may ask why the center of gravity is located
1900s'. Most of the models are rubber powered,¼ of the wing chord? It has something to do with
twining type with double stick fuselages that areaerodynamic center, neutral point that can be
common in Europe. But even in the early days ofexplained in detail with some illustrations by following
model flying, small petrol and compressed air enginesthe link on the bottom.
are already being used. The materials used in modelWhen you look at the cross section of the wing, the
constructions are birch strips, veneer, spruce, pianoshape is called an airfoil. Basically the airfoil consist of
wire or bamboo and oiled silk covering.upper and lower camber, leading and trailing edge.
Then balsa structure and tissue covering appeared inWhen the airplane is flying, there are aerodynamic
the United States in the late 1920s'. So much for theforces that interact with the wings, vertical and
history of model aircraft. So you see, even today, thehorizontal stabilizers because the airplane is going
airplane structure and how it fly is no different from theagainst the air or commonly called "relative wind". Then
one we are flying today. The wings, fuselage, verticalit creates a variance of pressure on the upper versus
and horizontal stabilizers, propellers, engines, landingthe lower camber of the airfoil (or the wing itself)
gears are the same. The airplane, to fly and havewhich generates lift. The air that passed the lower
control during flight uses them. The wings are obviouslycamber should have a higher pressure against the
responsible why the airplane can stay in the air for aupper camber to sustain flight. This has something to
long time. With proper design of the airplane,do with law of continuity. The air molecules that
dimensions, weight considerations and aerodynamicseparates from the leading edge, going to the upper
design characteristics it will fly successfully. Theand lower camber, should meet at the trailing edge at
aerodynamic principles behind it is what really makes itthe same time. Since the upper camber has a greater
fly. But even though it has a good design, weight andcurve than the lower camber, the distance on the
balance plays a major role. There was a saying thatupper camber is longer and therefore requires more
"a feather flies better than a brick" which is truevelocity to meet the air on the lower camber. This
because a very heavy airplane won't fly if it cannot becreates a lower pressure on the upper camber based
sustained by its power plant (engine, propeller, and fuelon the Bernoulli's theorem, "as the velocity of air
tank). And with regards to balancing, a well-balancedincreases, pressure decreases"
airplane is controllable during flight. Usually the fulcrumHope my brief explanation is understandable.
or center of gravity is located ¼ of the wing