Zagi experiments

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Interesting experiments: Zagi RC glider with variable anhedral/dihedral geometry, and rudder

Steve Seibel
www.aeroexperiments.org

This page is still under construction!
This page was last modified on August 23, 2006

 

Zagi RC glider with anhedral and controllable rudder -- this glider was successfully flown using "wrong-way" rudder inputs as the sole means of roll control.

Planform view of same aircraft (with wings adjusted to a flatter configuration).

More content to be added to this page in the future: notes on the anhedral angle that allowed the rudder to serve as a "wrong-way" roll control throughout the flight envelope. Notes on the anhedral angle at which the rudder created a "normal" roll torque at low airspeeds (high angles-of-attack) and created a "wrong-way" roll torque at high airspeeds (low angles-of-attack). Notes on the anhedral angle at which the rudder created a "normal" roll torque at all airspeeds. General notes on the aircraft's stability characteristics and control response characteristics in various anhedral and dihedral configurations. Notes on the usefulness of normal "coordinated" rudder inputs automatically coupled to elevon roll inputs, with various anhedral or dihedral configurations. Notes on effects of adding or removing a fixed vertical tail when the wing is in various anhedral or dihedral configurations. Description of how yaw oscillations provoked by the adverse yaw from a series of aggressive alternating roll inputs could lead to full-blown tumbles involving yaw, pitch, roll, in cases where yaw stability was marginal.

 

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