Place: 5 Harris Ct. Bldg S, Monterey, CA. Telephone: 831-621-8760

Intended for all who have an interest in designing and building their own aircraft. The latest aircraft design technology, materials, and computer programs will be discussed. Each participant will have the opportunity to work on a computer and learn to use the design programs. These programs include performance, c.g., a.c., stability calculations, V-n diagram, wing sizing, fuselage plot, fuselage loads. All programs run on a PC using Windows XP. Each student will receive a copy of all aircraft design programs and a NISA  fea program capable of handling up to 1,000 DOF..

Seminar covers:

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS: Using NISA, each student will learn how to set lup a finite element model of a wing and determine stress distributions from static loads and perform a modal analysis used in wing flutter predictions.

BASIC AIRCRAFT DESIGN:
Size your aircraft to your desired performance (top speed, endurance, climb angle, etc.) and calculate gross weight, wing area, engine power, etc.; determine c.g., aerodynamic center, airfoils, stall speed, tail trim, etc. for conventional or three surface configuration.
LOADS ANALYSIS:
Calculate load factors for your aircraft; construct V-n diagram; calculate air-load distributions, landing loads.
STRUCTURAL SIZING AND ANALYSIS:
Design and size your load structures, including wing spars, wing attach-fittings, stabilizers, etc.
OPTIMIZING COMPOSITE STRUCTURES:
Determine optimum ply orientations and calculate stiffness and strengths, safety factors and margins of safety. How to utilize foam moldless and molded layup methods; prepregs vs. wet layups and gel coats; plug construction; vacuum bagging; fabrication techniques for minimizing cost and weight.

ADVANCED TOPICS:
Designing structures for pressurization, lighting strike and icing protection.
COURSE TEXT NOTEBOOK:
Comprehensive, a 8 1/2 x 11 book.

Advance Registration:
Due to limited size, advanced registration is required. Registration at the door will not be accepted. Sign up now! Registration fee: $340 includes all course material.

This seminar is intended for all aircraft designers who have an interest and a need to solve subsonic aerodynamic flutter problems using a PC. Learn the steps for solving flutter problems starting by setting up a finite element analysis model using of the aircraft lifting surfaces and entering modal and frequency data for the Subsonic Aerodynamic Flutter Program called SAF. Participant will work in teams of two per PC and each participant will receive a full blown copy of NISA program, 1,000 DOF that is not time limited.
Seminar includes:
COMPUTER PROGRAMS for the PC using Windows 2000:
NISA Finite Element Analysis Program:
Set up structural models of wing using NISA and solve for eigenvalues and mode shapes. Model can include isotropic materials and composite sandwich structures. Learn how to interpret data and use pre and post processor. View animated modal shapes.
SUBSONIC AERODYNAMIC FLUTTER Program for the PC:
Using this program, plots of damping and frequency as a function of velocity are used to determine the critical flutter speeds and participating mode shapes. Program determines flutter speeds and divergence speeds for various altitudes, symmetric and asymmetric modes.
COURSE TEXT NOTEBOOK:
Comprehensive, in a 8 1/2 x 11 spiral bound notebook, includes all data and example problems that you will solve.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Participant should be familiar with operating a PC and using the Windows 2000 operating environment. No other qualifications are necessary.
Advance Registration:
Due to limited class size, advanced registration is required and no refunds unless mutually agreed upon!. Registration at the door will not be accepted.

Sign up now!
Registration fee: $780 includes lunch and all course material.

HANDS-ON COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT BUILDER'S WORKSHOP
Saturday and Sunday, Dates TBD
A Two-Day Intensive Workshop. This class has been held since 1983.

RESINS: How to layup parts using vinylester, Derakane 411-400 and epoxy, Epon 862/TETA, resin. Mixing ratios, Sticky Stuff Dispenser, methods for mixing by weight and volume, applying, and storing, and safety precautions. How to make and apply micro and flox. When and when not to post cure to increase strength and shorten cure cycle. Mold making and gel coats and release agents. Film and past adhesives used in the industry and how to prepare aluminum and composites to properly use them.
REINFORCING MATERIALS: Were and how to use bidirectional fabrics and unidirectional taps made out of fiberglass, Kevlar, and graphite (carbon). How to layup parts using these reinforcing materials by wet layup. Cutting on a bias. Special tools needed for cutting and drilling.
CORE MATERIALS: Foam and honeycomb core materials and how and were to use them. Film adhesives for bonding honeycomb cores to face sheets. Phenolic and metal inserts in cored structures and how to reinforce composite structures for mechanical attachments.
PREPREGS: What materials are available and how to use them. life and storage requirements and cure cycles. Vacuum bagging.
WET LAYUP: How to wet layup epoxy and vinylester resin parts over a core and in female molds.
VACUUM BAGGING: How to building a vacuum bag system which includes a simple low cost vacuum pump. Bagging films, peel ply, bleeder material, hosing, and fittings. How to build an oven for curing prepreg materials. A simple temperature controller. How to build molds using high temperature resins, plugs, and finally parts.
MOLDLESS METHOD: Hot wire cutting styrofoam core and making wood formers and using urethane foam sheets for the fabrication of a prototype aircraft.
AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING: How to join and repair composite material parts. Finishing, sanding, and paints, primers, and fillers for wet layup and prepreg parts.

Sign up now! Class will be held at Aircraft Designs, Inc. 5 Harris Ct. Building S. Monterey, CA 93940. Advanced registration is required and no refunds unless mutually agreed upon!  Registration fee: $595.00 includes all composite materials for project, workbook, and lunches. For more info contact Aircraft Designs, Inc. Telephone 831-621-8760.

One-Day Gyroplane Design Class!
Dates TBD, Saturday. 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Monterey, California.