Winfoil 3 Other Details

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Overview

Winfoil is a an aeronautical computer aided design tool for designing, analysing and modifying model aircraft. It also provides the ability to print the design (wing ribs, fuselage sides, wing and tail plans) to any Windows supported printer and export design components to DXF files for import into other CAD programs such as AutoCAD. It is typically used for Radio Control Gliders, Powered Aircraft (Scale,Sport and Pylon). Winfoil is Shareware. This enables the user to try the product before buying it. Registered users receive one free upgrade to the next major release. Minor updates are available free from this web site.

Winfoil has been developed using a state of the art RAD (Rapid Application Development) tool (Microsoft Visual Basic) and utilises the Microsoft Access Database engine to store design data and airfoil coordinate data. The data can be accessed using any number of available third party database query tools permitting the user to manipulate the data or use the data in other Windows applications. There are also no restrictive limits on the number of coordinates or designs as the limit is based on available disk space and computer resources.

Winfoil is under constant development. The author holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and is an active R/C power pilot flying both IC and Electric aircraft.

  • 3D Rendered views of Wing or Tail Designs. 3D Rendering Engine © Gregg Kelly 1998
  • Rib View. See spar layout, wing skin and interpolated rib shape. Set skin thickness for each rib.
  • Set wing/tail sweep angle.
  • Variable rib spacing. Spanwise thickness adjustment. Elliptical rib thickness distribution.
  • Compare Airfoil characteristics.
  • NACA airfoil generator (4,5 and 6 Digit) - generate any number of coordinates for an airfoil.
  • Interface with JavaFoi and automatically update airfoil performance data on completion.
  • Aircraft performance calculation - power required, L/D, min sink speed, max speed, stall speed, performance graphs. Analyze different configurations and optimise for performance.
  • Design simple fuselage components
  • Eppler Airfoil Coordinate Format support - select the format which suits you NACA or Eppler
  • Eexport performance calculations to Excel spreadsheets for further analysis
  • DXF wing plan (outline, spar and rib layout) and fuselage export - quickly generate shapes with the Wing Wizard then export to a CAD program.
  • Record design specifications
  • Store pictures of designs and comments - keep a record of your design for reference
  • Create design groups (group fuselage components, wing, tail surfaces, specifications)
  • Overlay airfoils, enterairfoil coordinates.
  • Add own component types (fuselage formers etc) - add an unlimited number of components, add new drag items for performance calculations.
  • Estimate airfoil pitching moment - for flying wing designs.
  • Program saves last accessed airfoil, design and all screen sizes so that the layout is restored the next time Winfoil is run
  • Print preview for all screens.