Gossamer Condor — 96 ft of wing at 11 mphvsPiper J-3 Cub — a rectangular wing that works
root section l7769 → usa35b · sweep parameter 11.711 → 0.000 · te thickness 2 mm → 3 mm · taper 0.500 → 1.000 · area 66293551 mm² → 16577850 mm² · dihedral 3.00° → 1.00°
units
These analyses are not directly comparable
- different trim loads (942 N vs 5396 N) — each wing is carrying a different weight
The geometry comparison below is unaffected — it is a comparison of shapes, not of runs.
- Gossamer Condor — 96 ft of wing at 11 mph
- Piper J-3 Cub — a rectangular wing that works
What changed
| Property | Gossamer Condor | Piper J-3 Cub | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | ||||
| Span | 29260 mm | 10730 mm | -18530 mm | -63.3% |
| Root chord | 2862 mm | 1545 mm | -1317 mm | -46.0% |
| Tip chord | 1431 mm | 1545 mm | +114 mm | +8.0% |
| Sweep parameter | 11.711 | 0.000 | -11.711 | -100.0% |
| Dihedral | 3.00° | 1.00° | -2.00° | -66.7% |
| TE thickness | 2 mm | 3 mm | +2 mm | +100.0% |
| Tip cap reach | 0.200 | 0.300 | +0.100 | +50.0% |
| Derived | ||||
| Aspect ratio | 12.914 | 6.945 | -5.970 | -46.2% |
| Area | 66293551 mm² | 16577850 mm² | -49715701 mm² | -75.0% |
| Taper | 0.500 | 1.000 | +0.500 | +100.0% |
| MAC | 2358 mm | 1545 mm | -813 mm | -34.5% |
| Sections | ||||
| Root section | l7769 | usa35b | changed | — |
| Shapedeviation at matched span fractions, 64 samples | ||||
| Chord deviation (max) | 1317 mm | |||
| Chord deviation (RMS) | 855 mm | |||
| Twist deviation (max) | 0.00° | |||
| Dihedral deviation (max) | 673 mm | |||
| Tip cap deviation (max) | 9643 mm | |||
Performance
CoefficientsDimensionless — how good the shape is, independent of size and speed.
Spanwise
withheld — “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×); “Piper J-3 Cub” integrates to CL 0.002 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.330 (0.01×). 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 | Gossamer Condor | Piper J-3 Cub |
|---|---|---|
| 0.013 | 0.377 | 0.333 |
| 0.014 | 0.422 | 0.354 |
| 0.015 | 0.469 | 0.378 |
| 0.015 | 0.475 | 0.380 |
| 0.016 | 0.539 | 0.416 |
| 0.017 | 0.568 | 0.437 |
| 0.019 | 0.617 | 0.469 |
| 0.021 | 0.669 | 0.511 |
| 0.024 | 0.714 | 0.545 |
| 0.027 | 0.782 | 0.605 |
| 0.030 | 0.835 | 0.644 |
| 0.036 | 0.937 | 0.729 |
| 0.039 | 0.989 | 0.761 |
| 0.053 | 1.17 | 0.894 |
| 0.054 | 1.19 | 0.903 |
| 0.081 | 1.43 | 1.12 |
| 0.085 | 1.46 | 1.15 |