Cessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviationvsGossamer Albatross II — same span, two-thirds the area
root section naca2412 → l7769 · sweep parameter 1.666 → 7.476 · area 16463140 mm² → 45296522 mm² · span 11000 mm → 29260 mm · aspect ratio 7.350 → 18.901 · dihedral 1.73° → 3.60°
units
These analyses are not directly comparable
- different trim loads (10791 N vs 991 N) — each wing is carrying a different weight
The geometry comparison below is unaffected — it is a comparison of shapes, not of runs.
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviation
- Gossamer Albatross II — same span, two-thirds the area
What changed
| Property | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Gossamer Albatross II | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | ||||
| Span | 11000 mm | 29260 mm | +18260 mm | +166.0% |
| Root chord | 1630 mm | 1651 mm | +21 mm | +1.3% |
| Tip chord | 1310 mm | 1404 mm | +94 mm | +7.2% |
| Sweep parameter | 1.666 | 7.476 | +5.810 | +348.7% |
| Dihedral | 1.73° | 3.60° | +1.87° | +108.1% |
| Tip twist | -3.00° | 0.00° | +3.00° | -100.0% |
| TE thickness | 3 mm | 2 mm | -2 mm | -50.0% |
| Derived | ||||
| Aspect ratio | 7.350 | 18.901 | +11.551 | +157.2% |
| Area | 16463140 mm² | 45296522 mm² | +28833382 mm² | +175.1% |
| Taper | 0.804 | 0.850 | +0.047 | +5.8% |
| MAC | 1504 mm | 1552 mm | +48 mm | +3.2% |
| Sections | ||||
| Root section | naca2412 | l7769 | changed | — |
| Shapedeviation at matched span fractions, 64 samples | ||||
| Chord deviation (max) | 94 mm | |||
| Chord deviation (RMS) | 57 mm | |||
| Twist deviation (max) | 3.00° | |||
| Dihedral deviation (max) | 754 mm | |||
| Tip cap deviation (max) | 9325 mm | |||
Performance
CoefficientsDimensionless — how good the shape is, independent of size and speed.
Spanwise
withheld — “Cessna 172 Skyhawk” integrates to CL 0.034 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.344 (0.10×); “Gossamer Albatross II” integrates to CL 0.118 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.613 (0.19×). A loading that does not integrate back to its own wing’s CL is not a coarse curve, it is a wrong one.
air, ρ = 1.225 kg/m³
data
| CD | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Gossamer Albatross II |
|---|---|---|
| 0.012 | 0.349 | 0.374 |
| 0.013 | 0.363 | 0.419 |
| 0.013 | 0.381 | 0.472 |
| 0.015 | 0.411 | 0.535 |
| 0.015 | 0.422 | 0.552 |
| 0.017 | 0.452 | 0.613 |
| 0.020 | 0.516 | 0.709 |
| 0.021 | 0.529 | 0.726 |
| 0.025 | 0.591 | 0.829 |
| 0.032 | 0.685 | 0.968 |
| 0.032 | 0.692 | 0.982 |
| 0.043 | 0.804 | 1.18 |
| 0.054 | 0.920 | 1.32 |