I've asked around this question in the past, but the answers or my brain have all missed the mark a little bit...
So I'll be more specific: Given two wings, same span, same area, same weights....
1)A a square tip wing aspect ratio of 12 10 degrees simple dihedral. Twist optimized for a single most efficient point....
2)A perfect elliptical wing with perfect elliptical lift distribution aspect ratio 12 10 degrees simple dihedral, or simple polyhedral with a flat center. Twist optimized for a single most efficient point....
I want to optimize minimum sink (climb actually but minimum sink is a good stand in)
If wing 1 sinks at 1 ft/sec Will wing 2 sink at .95 or .5 or ????
The tradeoff I'm trying (presently unsuccessfully) to weigh is for my solar plane, a non square wing really ads to the complexity of the power conversion and cell packing density. I can exactly quantify how much weight and power a non square wing costs me. What I can't currently quantify is the loss of efficiency for a well designed square wing.
(McCready's Pathfinder/helios were square so I can't be too far off ;)
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