AviationBanter - View Single Post - Tandem-wing Airplanes

**Bertie the Bunyip[_25_]** · February 3rd 08, 06:20 PM posted to rec.aviation.piloting,rec.aviation.student

Phil J wrote in news:ad6eb94e-4e9e-46a8-b608-
:

On Feb 2, 3:21*pm, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Phil J wrote in news:75220ca0-969d-4a58-8dac-
:

OK. *But why on the canards flying these days is the little wing in

OK, it's a canard if its primary function is stability rather than
lift. I guess Rutan's Quickie is more like what I was thinking
about. On that airplane the front wing contributes 60% of the lift,
so it's a true wing.

OK, that's right. I had forgoten about them. Yeah, That's a true tandem
wing.

And there you have the larger wing in front and
the smaller wing in back. I don't know much about the stall
characteristics of that airplane, but it definitely seems to be an
efficient design. With a 64-horsepower engine it has a 140-mph
cruise.

Yeah, I kow someone who built a Q200 and it cruises at about 160 mph on
100 hp! Superb.
The decalage, as with the canards, is arranged so that the front wing
reaches critical angle first thus lowering the nose. So, they don't
realy stal in the same way that a conventinal airplane does. I've never
flown one, though I have a standing offer to fly this one if I ever get
into his neighborhood. I would have thought that the rear wing was
taking more of the load, though, but i can't find any info on that on
the net. The thing that always made me nervous about those things is the
pounding the front wing must take on the ground..

Bertie