NACA numbering system.

NACA Airfoils are described using a series of digits that sometimes incorporate a letter between these digits. When this is entered into an equation it will generate a cross sectional view of the airfoil and calculate its properties. The NACA numbering system is based on sectional geometry of the airfoil. There are thousands of different types of NACA airfoil. These have all been divided up into categories known as NACA number series. These series range as following: y Four-digit series y Five-digit series y 1-series also know as 16 series y 6-series y 7-series y 8-series Each of these series has different way of expressing the shape of the airfoil. The 4Digit Series the first number in the sequence is the maximum value the camber can be as a percentage of the chord. The second number represents the distance from the airfoils leading edge to the maximum camber in tenths of a chord. The last two numbers refers to the thickness of the chord. The diagram below shows the poistion of the chord, camber line, trailing edge, leading edge, lower and upper cambers of a airfoil.

[Aerofoil / Airfoil] In the 5 digit series describe a more complex airfoil shape to the 4 digit series. The first digit when multiplied by 0.25 gives the lift value of the airfoil. The second and third digit gives the maximum camber from the leading edge of the airfoil. This distance is given as a percentage of the chord and its value is one half of the second and the third digit in the series. The final two digits indicate the sections thickness as a percentage of the chord. The 6 series first integer is the number assigned to the group of low drag airfoils. The second integer is the minimum pressure on the area of the airfoil in tenths of a percent of the chord. The subscript indicates the lift range of the airfoil. The digit following the hyphen is the lift coefficient. And the last two integers is the maximum thickness as tenths of a percent of the chord.

The diagram below shows angles of attack and the other aspects of a airfoil:

[angle of attack] In the first series, the first digits indicate the series number. The second digit referrers to the distance to the minimum press area in tenths of percent of the chord. The following number is the lift coefficient in tenths. The last two numbers is the maximum thickness in percent of the chord [Aerofoil / Airfoil] For the 7- series and 8- series the only difference is the first integer which shows which series they part of. The second integer describes the distance to the minimum pressure area on the top surfaces in tenths of percent of the chords. The third integer refers to the distance to the minimum pressure underneath the airfoil in tenths of the chord. The letter represents the profile from previous NACA series. The following integer is the lift coefficient in tenths. The last two digits is the maximum thickness in tenths of a percent of the chord. The letter A is followed by a decimal number that defines the fraction of the chord which the laminar flow is maintained. Laminar flow is a constant parallel streamline flow. 'A' is not given a default value. [an introduction to the preliminary design, of subsonic general aviation and transport aircraft, with emphasis on layout, aerodynamic design, propulsion, and performance] Two NACA aerofoil sections one cambered and one un-cambered Description of the basic shape and dimensions of both aerofoils. I have chosen the NACA 4 digit airfoil section. The NACA airfoil chosen was the NACA 0015.The 00 as explained above indicates that there is no camber present. The last two digit in this case 15 shows the there is a 15% thickness chord to length ratio i.e. 15 % thick as it is long

[Airfoil Investigation] NACA 0015 has identical upper and lower surfaces. The shape of the naca0015 is symmetrical and often is quite thin. In thin symmetrical airfoil its often stated that the moment of aerodynamic centre of the airfoil has a value of zero. The aerodynamic centre of the airfoil is place is a quarter way up the chord. The shape of the airfoil is defined with a rounded leading edge. This is followed by a trailing edge (back edge of the airfoil).The upper and lower camber of a symmetrical airfoil is equally in length and camber and relies on an angle of attack to produce lift. [LIFT, DRAG AND MOMENT OF A NACA 0015 AIRFOIL] My second chosen airfoil was one from the 7 series family NACA 747A315.As explained above the 7 represents the series. The minimum pressure on the upper part of the chord is at 40 percent and the minimum pressure on the lower surface is at 70 percent. The three shows a lift co-efficient of 0.3 and the thickness to length ration is 15 percent. This airfoil is also has a camber of 2.5 percent

[Airfoil Investigation] The shape of the NACA 747A315 is unsymmetrical through its mean chord line. It also has a higher curved surface above and a much flatter curve underneath the airfoil. A cambered airfoil has a rounded leading edge and a much sharper trailing edge .The top camber of the airfoil is large than the lower camber .This design creates greater lift without varying the angle attack by a large value. [Naca Airfoil Series]

the advantages and disadvantages of each chosen aerofoil section The table below shows the advantages and disadvantages of the NACA 0015 airfoil: 1. The stall quality is 1. maximum lift good coefficient value is 2. The pressure centre low

hardly shifts over various speed ranges 3. Roughness hardly affects the stability

2. High Drag 3. the total moment that must be balanced using the lift on the horizontal stabilizer is of high value.(high pitching moment)

The table below shows the advantages and disadvantages of the NACA 47A315 airfoil: 1. Low Drag value 1. Maximum lift over a certain coefficient has been operating range reduced. 2. Very low pitching 2. High drag outside moment range of specified operating conditions 3. Stall behaviour is poor 4. Roughness affects it severely. [Naca Airfoil Series] Drawing and explaining of the characteristics of both aerofoil sections including the CL versus and CD Versus as well as CL/CD Versus . The graph below shows a cl/cd versus angle of attack type of graph found on Pilots Web:

The picture below shows the coefficient of lift versus angle of attack as well as coefficient of drag versus angle of attack.

[pilots web] Below I have taken some data from http://www.worldofkrauss.com/foils/ .This website has data for all the pre drawn and measured airfoils used in industry. It also allows you to create your own airfoil and generates the results. NACA 47A315: Max CL: Max CL angle: Max L/D: Max L/D angle: Max L/D CL: Stall angle: Zero-lift angle:

1.107 15.0 30.334 7.0 0.862 8.0 -1.0

[Airfoil Investigation] My next chosen airfoil is a symmetrical airfoil and using the above method calculated my results from this. Naca 0015 Max CL: Max CL angle: Max L/D: Max L/D angle: Max L/D CL: Stall angle: Zero-lift angle:

1.052 15.0 31.984 6.0 0.727 9.0 0.0

[Airfoil Investigation] The four diagrams above are the direct values for each of the chosen airfoils. the advantage and disadvantages of each aerofoil sections and discussion: The symmetrical airfoil such as NACA 0015 has identical upper and lower surfaces. This means that they are better suited for rotary wing mechanisms. This is because there centre pressure hardly travels. Varying the angles of attack flight remains constant. Therefore there is a larger range of best lift to drag ratios. There are disadvantages to this as the lift it reduced compared to that of a non symmetrical airfoil. The stall characteristic of the airfoil is objectionable. Applications naca0015 is used for is that of a helicopter blade. This is due to the properties that the symmetrical airfoil can adapts to wide range of speeds and angles of attacks during the rotors revolution. The other benefits to this type of airfoil is that it is much cheaper to produce and easier to construct in comparison to the non symmetrical airfoil.

Cambered airfoils have a varied upper and lower surface design. Non symmetrical airfoil increase lift to drag ratios and have a desirable stall characteristic. Cambered airfoils are hardly used in helicopters due to the pressure centre shifted vigorously when the angle of attack was changed. When centre of pressure shifts a torque force is placed on the rotor blades which would damage it. Due to modern improvement they have managed to partially contain this problem. Having a cambered wing does not always produce more lift than symmetrical airfoil. Cambered airfoils also produce lift at a zero angle of attack where as symmetrical airfoils dont. [Airfoils in general] Conclusion: Airfoils have improved tremendously over past years. From the first airfoils, this copied the design of bird wings which lead to cut and tested airfoils. NACA number was a way of organising the large amount of different successful styled

airfoils, not only that each NACA number also is a definition of the actual airfoil itself. Wind tunnel testing could not create and outside laboratory result. The Reynolds number was design to equate for this. Eppler philosophy stated that we need to create a reliable theoretical airfoil design instead of a catalogue of experimental sections. To summaries a theoretical method based on experimental data has been devised to design for almost all subcritical applications. Continuous improvements are happening to the design of airfoils to produce more lift and less drag, but we still waiting for a more accurate theoretical method. This does not mean that there will be a major improvement in the airfoils performance. The real key is in the design of the airfoil which has been left to our imagination