What books should I be reading if I want to recreate the Daedalus 88? (human powered flight)

[mad_theologian]

TL;DR Summary

See title

Daedalus 88 is a human powered aircraft built in 1988 by MIT students. I'm trying to find research papers describing the construction process but can't find anything.

So I'm asking here: what books should I be reading to start building this? I

My math skills are up to basic calculus. Last time I learned physics was high school and it wasn't calculus based. My engineering experience is 10 years of experience as a software engineer, though I have quit coding.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Michael

 

[Flyboy]

What in particular are you looking for? The theory behind the design decisions?
I'd honestly recommend starting with the sources in the Wikipedia page, especially some of the archived pages they have listed. There's some much more extensive listings of resources there.

 

[jedishrfu]

Definitive records are here but hard to get to:

https://archivesspace.mit.edu/agents/corporate_entities/993

and this more public resource:

https://infinite.mit.edu/video/paul...flight-perspectives-processes-and-potentials”

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PF.

So I'm asking here: what books should I be reading to start building this?

Are you planning on flying this craft yourself, or getting a semi-pro bicycle athlete to fly it? How good is your bicycle fitness?

 

[mad_theologian]

Welcome to PF.


Are you planning on flying this craft yourself, or getting a semi-pro bicycle athlete to fly it? How good is your bicycle fitness?

Ha, I've always been athletic. Maybe I can produce a more efficient aircraft

 

[berkeman]

Maybe I can produce a more efficient aircraft

Not likely, IMO. Probably the best you can do is try to reproduce the craft, and train your behind off riding your road bike for a few months on challenging uphill courses to build your power and stamina. You won't be crossing any English Channels or similar, but maybe you could duplicate something like the Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk.

 

[mad_theologian]

Webpage: https://web.mit.edu/drela/Public/web/hpa/

I'm trying to see if I have everything I need, though I'm a (former) software engineer, not aeronautics engineer. So I need some hand holding, at least at the beginning.

Thanks in advance

 

[russ_watters]

I think asking the question answers the question; no. More specifically I don't see anything there about how to actually build the aircraft.

My question is; why are you asking this question? If you think that website gives you what you need, why don't you just go build it? If you try and are missing something, I think it will quickly become clear to you.

 

[pbuk]

Can a human powered aircraft be built using this webpage alone?

Possibly, if you had all the resources of MIT in 1988 available to you.

But that was 30 years ago: there are better start points (and much better construction materials) available now. I'm surprised your research so far has not turned up the British Human Powered Flying Club or https://www.humanpoweredflight.co.uk/

 

[sbrothy]

Going through the projectrho.com entry on Daedalus, some resources stand out, like:

https://bis-space.com/shop/product/...gineering-feasibility-of-interstellar-travel/

But actually getting your hands on these magazines and papers is another matter altogether.

 

[pbuk]

Going through the projectrho.com entry on Daedalus

That's a different Project Daedalus (human powered interstellar travel would be ... interesting).

 

[sbrothy]

That's a different Project Daedalus (human powered interstellar travel would be ... interesting).

oh yeah, I missed the 88 in there. I'm afraid that'll make the task even more difficult, if not downright impossible!

 

[Lnewqban]

So I'm asking here: what books should I be reading to start building this?

Welcome, Michael!

Why do you want to take such a huge and costly challenge?
Rather than building their prototypes, the biggest problems the Wright brothers faced were designing effective and consistent controls, and learning to fly the artifacts without getting killed.
And they had none of the modern legal and government regulations.

Copied from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Daedalus

"Construction of Light Eagle took 15,000 hours work by 18 members of MIT."

"The flight ended in the water..., when increasing gusty winds caused a torsional failure of the tail boom. Lacking control, the airplane then pitched nose-up, and another gust caused a failure of the main wing spar. The pilot swam to shore."

"The pilot used a hydration drink during flight. This feat was equivalent to two back-to-back marathons."

This website is very complete:
https://www.av8n.com/how/

There are many good aerodynamic books available nowadays.
Studying those seriously would be a great first step.
Your local library may have several of those.

Regarding energy efficient flight, study the creatures mastering it:

Bird Flight Performance
A Practical Calculation Manual
By Colin J. Pennycuick · 1989

Avian Flight
By John J. Videler · 2006

 

[Vanadium 50]

I will answer the question asked, but I suspect fruitlessly.

Step 1 - find the names of the students who worked on this.
Step 2 - order a copy of their theses, probably from whatever University Microfilms calls themselves these days..
Step 3 - Read. These are likely to be the most complete descriptions there are.

In addition to what worked, the these will likely provide some inofmation on what did not work. That might be even more valuable.

 

[AlexB23]

TL;DR Summary: See title

Daedalus 88 is a human powered aircraft built in 1988 by MIT students. I'm trying to find research papers describing the construction process but can't find anything.

So I'm asking here: what books should I be reading to start building this? I

My math skills are up to basic calculus. Last time I learned physics was high school and it wasn't calculus based. My engineering experience is 10 years of experience as a software engineer, though I have quit coding.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Michael

Well, for building a plane in general, maybe try reading René Alderliesten - Introduction to Aerospace Structures and Materials. It is open access.

Source:
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/647

 

[Vanadium 50]

That book has nothing on Daedelus and nothing on human-powered flight.

 

[AlexB23]

That book has nothing on Daedelus and nothing on human-powered flight.

Yeah, but it helps one understand how building planes work. One needs to know the basics of planes before moving onto building a human powered plane.

 

[Vanadium 50]

And "The big book of kitty names" helps one name one's cat.

It's OK not to know the answer to a question. Doesn't mean you have to still answer it.

 

[AlexB23]

And "The big book of kitty names" helps one name one's cat.

It's OK not to know the answer to a question. Doesn't mean you have to still answer it.

I understand sir, so I am backing out of this one.

 

[bob012345]

I suggest you count the cost first in money, effort and time. The project involved many people, students, staff, support experts and cost a lot of money and two years of design and building and that's after previous prototypes were developed. About 685k was donated in cash in addition to equipment and supplies. Consider for example what it would cost just to rent the space to build and store such a machine!

https://web.mit.edu/drela/Public/web/hpa/SG_HPAG_daedalus.pdf