Akaflieg München Mü31
Encyclopedia
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The Akaflieg München Mü31 is a high-performance single-seat glider aircraft
that is under design in Germany
as of 2010.
, students turned to the design of a new 15m-FAI racing class
glider, with a maximum span of 15m (49 ft 3in), a maximum of 150 liters (40 US gallons) of water ballast and full-span flaps. Designated Akaflieg München Mü31, this glider is being designed to minimize interference drag between fuselage and wing root, with several variations being studied to select the ideal configuration:
These concepts were wind-tunnel-tested
in 2006. The third configuration was deemed to be best. The resulting fuselage wing joint is similar to a pylon with the wing suspended by the leading edge, leaving uninterrupted flow at the trailing edge. This layout has the advantages of:
To keep construction costs low, the Mü31 will be built using components from the Schleicher ASW 27
, such as the forward fuselage, rear fuselage and tail and outer wings.
The Akaflieg München Mü31 is a high-performance single-seat glider aircraft
Glider aircraft
Glider aircraft are heavier-than-air craft that are supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against their lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Mostly these types of aircraft are intended for routine operation without engines, though engine failure can...
that is under design in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as of 2010.
Development
After completion of the Akaflieg München Mü30 SchlacroAkaflieg München Mü30 Schlacro
|-References:-External links:**...
, students turned to the design of a new 15m-FAI racing class
Glider Competition Classes
Competition classes in gliding, as in other sports, mainly exist to ensure fairness in competition. However the classes have not been targeted at fostering technological development as in other sports...
glider, with a maximum span of 15m (49 ft 3in), a maximum of 150 liters (40 US gallons) of water ballast and full-span flaps. Designated Akaflieg München Mü31, this glider is being designed to minimize interference drag between fuselage and wing root, with several variations being studied to select the ideal configuration:
- planar wing in midwing configuration (conventional).
- high-mounted wing with a swept wing root/fuselage transition.
- high-mounted wing with turbulent flow at the joint between wing and fuselage.
These concepts were wind-tunnel-tested
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
in 2006. The third configuration was deemed to be best. The resulting fuselage wing joint is similar to a pylon with the wing suspended by the leading edge, leaving uninterrupted flow at the trailing edge. This layout has the advantages of:
- continuous upper wing surface
- only two intersections between fuselage and wing as opposed to four in a more conventional mounting
- turbulence created by the wing/fuselage joint does not disturb flow over the rear of the fuselage pod and boom
- approximately elliptical lift distribution can be attained, reducing induced drag significantly.
To keep construction costs low, the Mü31 will be built using components from the Schleicher ASW 27
Schleicher ASW 27
|-References:***Simons M, Segelflugzeuge 1965-2000, Equip, 2004...
, such as the forward fuselage, rear fuselage and tail and outer wings.