Quote:
Originally Posted by ChazInMT
@ Winkosmosis, think all the intuitive ideas you want, stay passionate about this, keep thinking deeply and trying to understand things. This is a good thing. Don't think for a second you have it all figured out exactly. Eventually, it will dawn on you the concepts which Aerohead is trying to convey, and your line of thinking will converge, and you'll be all like. "Oh." Least thats how it was for me.
One key point to bear in mind, the template modeled cars are the optimum designs for the lowest Cd. Don't confuse attached flow with lowest Cd. I, like you, am not convinced that the template is the only path to attached flow, I do however now firmly believe the template is the path to lowest Cd.
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But my point is that the template is meaningless in this context. People are overlaying it arbitrarily on their cars and then thinking that where the lines fall happen to describe some kind of ideal shape. The shape of the template is only ideal for the whole shape described by it.
It's completely backward reasoning.
You're right, it's not just attached flow that matters. It's attached flow that allows the car to leave as small and clean a hole as possible in the atmosphere once air is done flowing around it.
You can do better with common sense. Start with a horizontal surface (most roofs), increase the curve gradually, and don't exceed 20°, or 15°, or 10°, or whatever (depending on airspeed). Trying to align a template arbitrarily with a whole front end that has zero relevance to a normal car is a waste of time and energy.