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Old October 21st 03, 02:58 PM
Marske Flying Wings
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I do not have any building experience with the Woodstock or Carbon dragon
but I can make some general comments.

The use of wood in a glider is not really recommended any longer, nor is the
combination of wood and fiberglass. Ineveitably the wood and fiberglass tend
to separate. It is better to use an all fiberglass structure and I even
avoid the use of foam.

Spars constructed with carbon rovings are unpredictable and tests have shown
that compression and tension readings are very low ( 30.000- 60,000 psi)
whereas using a carbon rod will give a predictable 300,000 psi.

I have seen the prototype carbon dragon and the one built by Steve Arnt.
Steve's magic drag was much modified and he had tested his carbon rod spar.
He had done his research well. The use of carbon rovings is again not
predictible and the combination with wood I do not recomend. I suggest that
it would be better to vacuum mold all the parts from carbon cloth. Again I
have not seen any flight reports on the carbon dragon as to stability, spins
and general handling. Much development is now needed in this design but for
the time was a brilliant step forward in light wingloading soaring.

And as to your comment about the CG location on my windrose... I built it on
a weigh scale to make sure the CG came out at the correct position. I had
flown it to begin with in a slightly forward position and gradually moved it
back as needed. I have done a lot of work establishing the CG postion for
the Marske Pioneers and Monarchs .The designer has some idea of where the CG
belongs but each aircarft is different and the Cg refinement is then done by
a qualfied test pilot. The windrose was easily tip stalled and the all
flying tail could be stalled..... and that remains its' worst features.

-mat
--
Marske Flying Wings
http://www.continuo.com/marske