UIUC Airfoil Coordinates Database (Reference)

Last update 12/15/95

S4083 (8%) for R/C Soaring


The new S4083 was designed for R/C handlaunch competition. Since the pilot (in the U.S.) is allowed to change gliders during a handlaunch contest, then a suite of wings should be used: a low-speed wing, moderate-speed wing, and a high-speed wing. The S4083 should prove best for the moderate to high-speed wing case.

Predictions show that the S4083 has a maximum L/D considerable better than the E387 and slightly better than the SD7037. Moreover, the best L/D speed for the S4083 is higher than both the SD7037 and E387. As a result the S4083 should penetrate upwind faster and sink less in the process. In particular, at a cruise speed corresponding to a lift coefficient of .4, nearly a 17% improvement in the L/D (17.5 vs.15) is predicted for a typical HLG. As should be expected, this improved L/D performance does come at a price. The thermal performance is somewhat less (a few percent), but the difference should hardly be noticed. Since the thermal performance is only slightly less, the new airfoil might become favored for most conditions. If this does happen it will signal a need to develop a second airfoil in the series---one that has an even better L/D and less thermal performance.