Hello All, Next month I'll start cutting wing spars for a KR2S, and now I'm doing my usual last-minute dithering between different options when I have to make important decisions. I'll have enough wood to construct 5048-15 airfoil spars.
Since I might ultimately go with a smaller engine, I'm going to be hyper weight-conscious in every decision I make. I think I understand the advantages of the 5048 airfoil (strength, efficiency, more gas in the wings if you want it), but I'm wondering whether the total weight of the thicker wing (more wood, more glass, more glue etc.) is something worth thinking about for someone who wants things light. I have no experience regarding the weights of the materials I'll be using. I know the 5046 is generally used by people who have already built stock RAF48 wings, but would the 5046 wings also be lighter than the 5048 in any significant way? I know it's difficult if not impossible to compare since so many other factors are involved in performance, but I'd also be very interested if someone who has flown planes with both 5046 and 5048 airfoils could give me their subjective "general feel" impressions of any differences between the two (takeoff, climb, cruise, approach, stall etc.) if any were noticeable and could reasonably be attributed to the different airfoils. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! -Seth Jersild in Illinois
