Computer Controller Question

[NathanStewart]

so have you asked the rules committee if your computer controlled aero package would be legal yet?

When I posted the topic in the SCTA Rules questions section, I thought we were asking them. Is there a better/more direct path to take to get the answer?

Yeaahh... the lr.com forums are definitely not an official channel of communication with the SCTA.  See page 172 of the 2012 rule book. 

[Glen]

for years I have said that rules questions should be directed to the Assoc. that you are going to run. Be it ECTA, SCTA, LTA,USFRA etc. There are committees  or contacts for each. The assoc.s are posted on the cover of this web site. A few of us do say which one or who to contact. The other assocs use the primary SCTA/BNI rules book but they do have other rules, classes that they answer.

[Blue]

One other possibility would be to monitor pressure differential between the top and bottom of the air foil, and control angle to maintain a specific pressure differential (ie total down force) for each speed.

As above you would need some wind tunnel or computer modeling to figure out what down force you want at each speed and build a down force vs speed map.

Larry

And THIS is why we post here...

We were kind of stuck on this and lots of good ideas have been offered.  Not all are practical due to other limitations of the design.  I can say that a couple of simple pressure taps can give us +/-10% on actual downforce.  That's good enough.  It just didn't occur to me until Larry suggested it.  Well, Larry, no idea is too good to steal.  I'll get to work on it right now.

[Dean Los Angeles]

I noticed in the Hot Rod Magazine article on the Speed Demon it said "Speed Demon has a servocontrolled tail rudder that can be clocked to any degree to add stability, depending on wind conditions."

[robfrey]

That is interesting. I wonder if there is any logic on the controller for that rudder?