THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND Investigation into Slow Flying Paper Planes Student Name: Nathan, LU Course Code: MECH4501 Supervisor: Dr Alexander Klimenko Submission date: 1st June 2018 Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology Abstract Paper planes have entertained people around the world for century’s. Typically, they are designed to be narrow and fast, these paper planes follow a parabolic flight trajectory. When a paper plane flies slower its flight path is very different. As it slows down, it starts to dip allowing it to accelerate up to speed again. The purpose of this thesis is to create a theoretical model that matches slow flying paper planes flight path. To do this a simulation was created to estimate the trajectory of the slow flying paper plane. An experiment was conducted to validate the model by comparing experimental data to simulation data. The model was deemed reasonable and within acceptable tolerances, as it successfully modelled the trajectory of the slow flying paper plane. Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Table of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. 3 List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.0 Nomenclature........................................................................................................................................... 4 2.0 Introduction.............................................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Context ................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Goals ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Scope .................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Assumptions ......................................................................................................................................... 7 3.0 Literature Review ..................................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Incompressible and Inviscid flow ......................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Laminar Flow ........................................................................................................................................ 8 3.3 Lift Force ............................................................................................................................................... 9 3.4 Drag Force ..........................................................................................................................................10 3.5 Aircraft Principal Axes ........................................................................................................................10 3.6 Aircraft Stability ..................................................................................................................................11 3.6.1 Longitudinal Static Stability .........................................................................................................11 3.6.2 Dynamic Stability .........................................................................................................................12 3.6.3 Differences in Stability for Paper Planes and Real Aircraft .........................................................13 4.0 The Experiment ......................................................................................................................................14 4.1 The Paper Plane Design ......................................................................................................................14 4.1.1 Making the Paper Plane ..............................................................................................................15 4.1.2 Paper Plane Characteristics .........................................................................................................16 4.2 Equipment ..........................................................................................................................................17 4.2.1 Paper Plane Holder ......................................................................................................................17 4.3 Experiment Setup ...............................................................................................................................18 4.4 Method ...............................................................................................................................................19 4.5 Results ................................................................................................................................................20 4.5.1 The Experimental Data ................................................................................................................20 4.5.2 The First Test ...............................................................................................................................22 4.5.3 The Second Test ..........................................................................................................................25 4.5.4 The Third Test ..............................................................................................................................28 5.0 The Model ..............................................................................................................................................31 1 | P a g e 5.1 Paper Plane Frame of Reference ........................................................................................................32 5.2 Laboratory Frame of Reference .........................................................................................................33 6.0 The Simulation........................................................................................................................................34 6.1 Creating the Simulation ......................................................................................................................34 6.2 Validating the Simulation ...................................................................................................................36 7.0 Discussion ...............................................................................................................................................39 7.1 Experimental Discussion ....................................................................................................................39 7.1.1 Nosedive ......................................................................................................................................40 7.1.2 Flattening Out..............................................................................................................................41 7.1.3 Linear Flight .................................................................................................................................42 7.1.4 Other Phenomena .......................................................................................................................43 7.2 Simulation Discussion .........................................................................................................................44 7.2.1 Vertical Velocity ..........................................................................................................................44 7.2.2 Horizontal Velocity ......................................................................................................................44 7.2.3 Pitch Angle ...................................................................................................................................45 8.0 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................................46 9.0 References ..............................................................................................................................................48 Appendices ...................................................................................................................................................50 Appendix A1 – Raw Experiment Data, First Test ......................................................................................50 Appendix A2 – Raw Experiment Data, Second Test .................................................................................51 Appendix A3 – Raw Experiment Data, Third Test ....................................................................................52 Appendix B1 – The Simulation .................................................................................................................53 2 | P a g e Table of Figures Figure 1. Free Body Diagram of Paper Plane in Flight ................................................................... 5