Item by item discussion of analysis
Item 1: Review and discussion of the patent document led us to the conclusion that the two configuration features that need to be preserved are the twin hulls and the ducted propeller. We decided to proceed initially with traditional stepped hull bottom surfaces to be sure that appropriate design equations could be found in references. An attempt to analyze the elliptical hull shape will be made as one of the later stages of the analysis. Initial literature search did not find useful analytical tools, but the manual for the Digital Wind Tunnel panel method aerodynamic software package seems to say that it can analyze the elliptical shape.
Item 2: Review of classic aircraft design and aerodynamics textbooks showed four that treat amphibians in reasonable detail. They appear to be sufficient for all except the elliptical hull shape. They are “Aircraft Design-A Conceptual Approach,” by Daniel Raymer; “Airplane Aerodynamics,” by Dommasch, Sherby, and Connolly; “Airplane Design,” by Karl Wood; and “Design for Flying,” by David Thurston. Many promising-sounding specific technical references were found using web searches, the most relevant of which are listed in a bibliography at the end of this report. Raymer is the text used in ERAU preliminary aircraft design classes and is used as the primary reference.
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