Plane and Simple, or Is It? How to Optimize a Model Glider

Overview

The purpose of this project is to create the best possible glider in terms of time aloft. Throughout the experiment, I varied the center of gravity, dihedral angle, and angle of attack on a glider. The control variables were the glider materials, core design, launching angle, and the mass of the gliders (10.6 g). To control the variables, I used a coffee scale, tweezers, and angle checkers to configure the planes. Finally, a rubber band launcher and test flights ensured that all of the airplanes were working properly and launching consistently. My hypothesis is if the dihedral angle of a model glider is 15°, the center of gravity is located at the midpoint of the wing, and it has a flat angle of attack, then the glider with keep aloft for the longest duration. After testing 14 different glider configurations and analyzing over 190 flights, I learned that an airplane with 20° of dihedral angle, a center of gravity slightly behind the middle of the wing, and flat angle of attack allowed for the airplane to have the longest flights, with an average of 3.11 seconds per flight. This is due to the reduced drag and increased stability.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Applied Mechanics (Junior Division) · Entry J-02-17

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