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### Is there a mathematical formula to find the most efficient propeller? [duplicate]

Is there a mathematical formula to find the most efficient propeller? Is a five-blade better than a four-blade? Does software exist to aid in the calculations there?
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I have heard that propellers with more than four blades are not as efficient as 4 or less blades because of lower thrust which may result from interfering prop-streams. But I see the ATR-42/72 and ...
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### Would an aircraft with contra-rotating propellers longer than the plane's wingspan be able to fly?

I enjoy taking the time to try and visualize how fictional aircraft might actually work in reality. Unfortunately there are some that seem highly impractical from an engineering student's point of ...
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### Is it possible to fly with counterbalanced single blade engines?

Refer the image for counterbalanced single blade (Source http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/bo-103.php). In ground school, they took us for aircraft inspection at end of our ground school ...
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### Why is thrust inverse to speed in piston engines?

It is said that piston engines have constant power output, and thus their thrust is inverse to speed (e.g. here), while turbines have relatively constant thrust. I'm looking for an intuitive ...
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### Is there any equation to bind velocity, thrust and power?

I am designing a remote controlled airship. I will tune it so that the lift given by Archimedes' Principle will exactly balance the weight of all the structure. It will be propelled by brushless ...
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### Why is max endurance different for jet and props?

Max endurance speed is not the same for gliders, propeller planes (also for turbo prop, right?) and jet planes. While for for jet planes max endurance is at the minimum drag speed ($V_{md}$), for ...
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### How can best glide speed be lower than best rate of climb speed?

I was looking up V-speeds for C172. I don't have easy access to an official copy of the POH, but online I found: $V_y$, best rate of climb speed (at sea level): 76 KIAS (p22) $V_{glide}$, maximum ...
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### Is there any theoretical problem powering the fan with an electric motor [duplicate]

A question that I have been wondering about lately is whether it would be possible to power the fan in a modern hi-bypass turbofan with an electric motor and achieve performance comparable to the ...
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### How is the induced drag calculated for a wing with elliptical planform?

How is the induced drag calculated for a wing with elliptical planform ? Is this wing shape the most efficient ?
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### Guidelines for using a constant speed/adjustable pitch propeller

I have been trained in a single engine fixed pitch prop ( C152). I'm trying to move to Piper Arrow II which has an adjustable pitch propeller. I understand how constant speed propellers work. I'm ...
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### Can this design provide more lift force than thrust from engine?

The problem is depicted in the picture: Generally, why we don't use engine blow wings to fly? Can we use wind-tunnel-like wing to generate lift force? Can it generate more lift than thrust? If it ...
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### How does the nozzle diameter affect the thrust of a ducted propeller?

I currently do some experiments with ducted propellers in which I try to figure out which effect a nozzle has on the thrust produced. My theory goes like this: If I reduce the exit diameter of the ...
Maximum theoretical lift of a plane as a function of engine power and surface of the wings? I know that the maximum static thrust of a propeller turned by an engine of power $P$ can not be greater ...