Drela SuperGee II — a 1.5 m discus-launch glider, drawn to the planvsCessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviation
root section ag455ct02r → naca2412 · tip section ag47ct02r → — · area 218576 mm² → 16463140 mm² · tip chord 94 mm → 1310 mm · te thickness 0 mm → 3 mm · mac 151 mm → 1504 mm
units
These analyses are not directly comparable
- different trim loads (2 N vs 10791 N) — each wing is carrying a different weight
The geometry comparison below is unaffected — it is a comparison of shapes, not of runs.
- Drela SuperGee II — a 1.5 m discus-launch glider, drawn to the plan
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviation
What changed
| Property | Drela SuperGee II | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | ||||
| Span | 1498 mm | 11000 mm | +9502 mm | +634.3% |
| Root chord | 183 mm | 1630 mm | +1447 mm | +790.7% |
| Tip chord | 94 mm | 1310 mm | +1216 mm | +1293.6% |
| Sweep parameter | 3.400 | 1.666 | -1.734 | -51.0% |
| Dihedral | 4.00° | 1.73° | -2.27° | -56.8% |
| Tip twist | 0.00° | -3.00° | -3.00° | — |
| TE thickness | 0 mm | 3 mm | +3 mm | +900.0% |
| Sections | 30 | 40 | +10 | +33.3% |
| Tip cap reach | 0.400 | 0.200 | -0.200 | -50.0% |
| Derived | ||||
| Aspect ratio | 10.266 | 7.350 | -2.917 | -28.4% |
| Area | 218576 mm² | 16463140 mm² | +16244565 mm² | +7432.0% |
| Taper | 0.514 | 0.804 | +0.290 | +56.5% |
| MAC | 151 mm | 1504 mm | +1352 mm | +892.6% |
| Sections | ||||
| Root section | ag455ct02r | naca2412 | changed | — |
| Tip section | ag47ct02r | — | changed | — |
| Shapedeviation at matched span fractions, 64 samples | ||||
| Chord deviation (max) | 1447 mm | |||
| Chord deviation (RMS) | 1353 mm | |||
| Twist deviation (max) | 3.00° | |||
| Dihedral deviation (max) | 114 mm | |||
| Tip cap deviation (max) | 4957 mm | |||
Performance
CoefficientsDimensionless — how good the shape is, independent of size and speed.
Spanwise
withheld — “Drela SuperGee II” integrates to CL 0.056 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.371 (0.15×); “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×). 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 | Drela SuperGee II | Cessna 172 Skyhawk |
|---|---|---|
| 0.014 | 0.259 | 0.409 |
| 0.015 | 0.274 | 0.422 |
| 0.016 | 0.290 | 0.433 |
| 0.017 | 0.327 | 0.462 |
| 0.019 | 0.371 | 0.501 |
| 0.021 | 0.399 | 0.529 |
| 0.022 | 0.425 | 0.549 |
| 0.026 | 0.491 | 0.605 |
| 0.032 | 0.571 | 0.685 |
| 0.032 | 0.574 | 0.687 |
| 0.041 | 0.681 | 0.783 |
| 0.054 | 0.766 | 0.920 |