 |
 
Recording the wind tunnel data
Wilbur and Orville carefully recorded and
graphed the aerodynamic data they collected with their wind
tunnel. The originals of the tables and graphs shown here
are in the collection of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
Correcting Smeaton's Coefficient
A key term in the lift and drag equations
was Smeaton’s coefficient, which accounted for the density
of air. A value for the coefficient of 0.005 had been widely
used since the 18th century. Using measurements obtained from
their glider tests at Kitty Hawk and the lift equation, the
Wright brothers calculated a new average value of 0.0033.
Modern aerodynamicists have confirmed this figure to be accurate
within a few percent.
| Size |
averaged 6 to 8 square inches in area. |
|
| Curvature |
ranged from 1 in 6 to 1 in 20. |
|
| Profile: |
airfoils varied from perfect arcs to curves whose high point was far forward. |
|
| Shape: |
included perfect squares, rectangles, ellipses, half-circles, and multi-wing forms. |
Go to Close to a True Airplane >> |
|
|
