Quote:
Originally Posted by Piotrsko
If you increase lift WITHOUT increasing drag, you have generally increased overall efficiency, possibly going to all laminar flow which AFAIK, THE HOLY GRAIL. At that point you get to start attacking/approaching the zero lift angle which should reduce drag further and mutes the lift argument.
|
Yes I did consider this. So in that case we'd:
1. Start with an aerofoil that has been optimised for maximum lift/drag ratio in ground effect for an aircraft
2. Change its angle of attack until we'd achieved zero lift (ie stop the aerofoil doing the very thing we've just optimised its shape for)
3. Claim we've developed a low drag shape for cars.
I don't see why such a design would have lower drag than a shape developed to have low lift and drag near the ground -
as the primary criteria for its development.
It seems rather like developing a ladder for maximum height, laying it on the ground - and then saying we'd developed the best possible chair.