Airplane Setup Methodologies

Written by Dave Scott Optimum setup rules-of-thumb for the way you fly As seen in the August 2013 issue of Model Aviation. Note: The following information might upset a career aerodynamicist, because it does not include explanations of mean aerodynamic center, decalage, neutral point, etc. when describing optimum CG location and wing incidence. The objective of this article is not to teach in-depth aerodynamics, but to condense flight dynamics into simple, foolproof rules of thumb that the average pilot can wrap his or her head around and thereby achieve an optimized airplane…