Cessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviationvsGossamer Condor — 96 ft of wing at 11 mph
root section naca2412 → l7769 · sweep parameter 1.666 → 11.711 · area 16463140 mm² → 66293551 mm² · span 11000 mm → 29260 mm · tip twist -3.00° → 0.00° · aspect ratio 7.350 → 12.914
units
These analyses are not directly comparable
- different trim loads (10791 N vs 942 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 Condor — 96 ft of wing at 11 mph
What changed
| Property | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Gossamer Condor | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | ||||
| Span | 11000 mm | 29260 mm | +18260 mm | +166.0% |
| Root chord | 1630 mm | 2862 mm | +1232 mm | +75.6% |
| Tip chord | 1310 mm | 1431 mm | +121 mm | +9.2% |
| Sweep parameter | 1.666 | 11.711 | +10.045 | +602.9% |
| Dihedral | 1.73° | 3.00° | +1.27° | +73.4% |
| 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 | 12.914 | +5.565 | +75.7% |
| Area | 16463140 mm² | 66293551 mm² | +49830410 mm² | +302.7% |
| Taper | 0.804 | 0.500 | -0.304 | -37.8% |
| MAC | 1504 mm | 2358 mm | +855 mm | +56.8% |
| Sections | ||||
| Root section | naca2412 | l7769 | changed | — |
| Shapedeviation at matched span fractions, 64 samples | ||||
| Chord deviation (max) | 1232 mm | |||
| Chord deviation (RMS) | 848 mm | |||
| Twist deviation (max) | 3.00° | |||
| Dihedral deviation (max) | 601 mm | |||
| Tip cap deviation (max) | 9531 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 Condor” integrates to CL 0.112 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.539 (0.21×). 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 Condor |
|---|---|---|
| 0.013 | 0.368 | 0.377 |
| 0.014 | 0.389 | 0.422 |
| 0.015 | 0.416 | 0.475 |
| 0.015 | 0.422 | 0.484 |
| 0.016 | 0.449 | 0.539 |
| 0.019 | 0.501 | 0.617 |
| 0.021 | 0.529 | 0.651 |
| 0.024 | 0.570 | 0.714 |
| 0.030 | 0.663 | 0.835 |
| 0.032 | 0.685 | 0.860 |
| 0.039 | 0.769 | 0.989 |
| 0.054 | 0.919 | 1.19 |
| 0.054 | 0.920 | 1.19 |