Aerodynamics learning based on the development of an simplified conceptual glider design and flight testing.

This article focuses on the conceptual design, aerodynamic analysis, construction, and flight testing of a glider aircraft as part of an undergraduate aerospace engineering course aimed at applied learning. The study employed aerodynamic theories such as the Lifting Line Theory (LLT) and the Vortex Lattice Method (VLM), alongside software tools like XFLR5, to select and analyze airfoils—ultimately choosing the NACA 2412 profile for its superior lift-to-drag characteristics. The project integrated theoretical study with practical application through a four-stage methodology involving airfoil selection, aerodynamic analysis, aircraft design, and experimental flight tests, which revealed challenges such as tail boom deflection and directional instability that were addressed by design modifications including the addition of flaps. Sustainable materials like expanded polystyrene foam and recycled balsa wood were used in construction, underscoring environmental considerations. Overall, the project demonstrated the effectiveness of problem-based learning in enhancing students’ understanding of aerodynamics by bridging theory and practice in aircraft design.