NACA airfoils
Version: December 16, 1996
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) has its own WWW page (thanks to Michael L. Nelson, m.l.nelson@larc.nasa.gov).
- ANNOUNCEMENT: NACA Lift/Drg data on FTP site (LONG)
- Aviation archive (moved from RASCAL)
- How to calculate NACA 4- and 5-digit sections
- AGARD 01 (NACA 0012)
- AGARD 03 (NACA 0012)
- Spline data files from LaRC
- NACA 4- and 5-digit airfoil methods
- NACA 6, 7, and 8 series
- UIUC Airfoil Data Site
- MSES (a numerical airfoil development system)
- XFOIL (interactive design and analysis)
- NAS Data Set Archive
- NACA4GEN (NACA 4 digit airfoil sections)
- Innovative Aerodynamic Technologies (LAMDA)
- NACA-1.2
- Public Domain Aeronautical Software
- PROFOIL
- Air_16
- Aircraft Design Software Review
- NACA 4 Digits Series (JAVA applet)
ANNOUNCEMENT: NACA Lift/Drg data on FTP site (LONG)
ftp ubvms.acsu.buffalo.edu
From Gregory Peter Dwight Siemens / gps190@engr.usask.ca
Date: 10 Jun 1994 12:04:17 -0500
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Article: 946 of sci.aeronautics
Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: NACA Lift/Drg data on FTP site (LONG).
I finally found a site to store my digitized angle of attack vs
Cl and Cl vs Cd data. The data is from NACA TR 824, the paper Abbott and
Doehoff's book "Theory of Wing Sections" is based on. There are two text
file explanations and one pkzip file which contains all the data files.
Thanx to Jim Sonnenmeier(jrs@eng.buffalo.edu if you want to thank
him too) the data has a home as explained in this post he sent me. He
also created the file naca.lst where he cross references the numbering
scheme I used(TR 824 page numbers) with the true NACA designation. Good
Work!!
The files took quite a bit of time to digitize, for which I want
nothing, But please support your local aerodynamicist with food and
clothing in their time of need ;).
What follows is the mail I received from Jim explaining the
location and including the two text files naca.txt and naca.lst.
Enjoy!! Greg...
Comments to gps190@engr.usask.ca
Subject: Re: naca files
Greg,
I did it. the file naca.zip is now available to the public on the following
annonymous ftp site,
ubvms.acsu.buffalo.edu
in the directory micro.msdos
i put the following two files in the archive based on our email messages
::::::::::::::
naca.txt
::::::::::::::
This archive contains the aerodynamic data for the NACA airfoils contained
in NACA TR 824. The individual files for each airfoil are catalogued by
xxx.all. The xxx is the page number as they appear in NACA TR 824. Some
graphs were omitted because the dealt strictly with multi-element wings
(flaps and such) but all of the others are in there. The file naca.lst
cross-references the files to the airfoils.
The format of the data is as follows, the first section (ranges 1-6) is two
column data of angle of attack vs Cl. There is potential for 6 Reynold's
number ranges (approx. 3x10^6, 6x10^6, 9x10^6, 6x10^6 @ standard roughness
and two ranges with a simple split flap). The second section (ranges 7-12)
contains angle of attack vs Cm for the above Reynold's numbers. The third
section (ranges 1-6) contains Cl vs Cd data for the same Reynold's number
ranges. The fourth section (ranges 7-12) contains Cl vs Cm data for the
same Reynold's numbers. The fifth section contains three column data of
Angle of attack, Cl and Cd(interpolated).
Since not all Reynold's number ranges were plotted for all airfoils not all
ranges will be present. These ranges will be listed as "Data Range x does
not exist". Another peculiarity of the fourth section is the large number of
data that is = 0. This is a result of the way the Cd(int.) was calculated.
Each angle of attack, Cl pair was taken and a Cd value was interpolated from
the Cl, Cd graph to correspond to that Cl value. For some reason known only
to NACA for high values of Cl the corresponding value of Cd was ommitted.
This is mainly due to the constant scale used across all of the graphs in
TR 824. If the Cd value fell off the graph, the graph was not changed to
accomodate it. When A high value of Cl is encountered no Cd can be
interpolated and thus the gaps in the data. In case you are wondering if
extrapolation could have been used, a quick glance at the Cl,Cd graph
(v. high slopes) or at a plot of angle of attack vs Cd(int.) (local maximums
occur inside the gaps) shows the folly of that technique in this case.
Good luck! Greg...
gps190@engr.usask.ca
::::::::::::::
naca.lst
::::::::::::::
naca.lst naca.txt naca.zip
NACA TR 824 lists these page numbers as being for the following
airfoils
file airfoil
---------------------
131.all NACA 0006
132.all NACA 0009
133.all NACA 1408
134.all NACA 1410
135.all NACA 1412
136.all NACA 2412
137.all NACA 2415
138.all NACA 2418
139.all NACA 2421
140.all NACA 2424
141.all NACA 4412
142.all NACA 4415
143.all NACA 4418
144.all NACA 4421
145.all NACA 4424
146.all NACA 23012
147.all NACA 23015
148.all NACA 23018
149.all NACA 23021
150.all NACA 23024
151.all NACA 63,4-240
155.all NACA 63,4-240, a = 0.3
156.all NACA 63(420)-422
157.all NACA 63(420)-517
158.all NACA 63-006
159.all NACA 63-009
160.all NACA 63-206
161.all NACA 63-209
162.all NACA 63-210
163.all NACA 63(sub)1-012
164.all NACA 63(sub)1-212
165.all NACA 63(sub)1-412
166.all NACA 63(sub)2-015
167.all NACA 63(sub)2-215
168.all NACA 63(sub)2-415
169.all NACA 63(sub)2-615
170.all NACA 63(sub)3-018
171.all NACA 63(sub)3-218
172.all NACA 63(sub)3-418
173.all NACA 63(sub)3-618
174.all NACA 63(sub)4-021
175.all NACA 63(sub)4-221
176.all NACA 63(sub)4-421
177.all NACA 64-006
178.all NACA 64-009
179.all NACA 64-108
180.all NACA 64-110
181.all NACA 64-206
182.all NACA 64-208
183.all NACA 64-209
184.all NACA 64-210
185.all NACA 64(sub)1-012
186.all NACA 64(sub)1-112
187.all NACA 64(sub)1-212
188.all NACA 64(sub)1-412
189.all NACA 64(sub)2-015
190.all NACA 64(sub)2-215
191.all NACA 64(sub)2-415
192.all NACA 64(sub)3-018
193.all NACA 64(sub)3-218
194.all NACA 64(sub)3-418
195.all NACA 64(sub)3-618
196.all NACA 64(sub)4-021
197.all NACA 64(sub)4-221
198.all NACA 64(sub)4-421
199.all NACA 65,3-018
200.all NACA 65,3-418, a = 0.8
201.all NACA 65,3-618
203.all NACA 65(216)-415, a = 0.5
204.all NACA 65-006
205.all NACA 65-009
206.all NACA 65-206
207.all NACA 65-209
208.all NACA 65-210
209.all NACA 65-410
210.all NACA 65(sub)1-012
211.all NACA 65(sub)1-212
213.all NACA 65(sub)1-212, a = 0.6
214.all NACA 65(sub)1-412
215.all NACA 65(sub)2-015
216.all NACA 65(sub)2-215
217.all NACA 65(sub)2-415
218.all NACA 65(sub)2-415, a = 0.5
219.all NACA 65(sub)3-018
222.all NACA 65(sub)3-218
223.all NACA 65(sub)3-418
224.all NACA 65(sub)3-418, a = 0.5
225.all NACA 65(sub)3-618
226.all NACA 65(sub)3-618, a = 0.5
227.all NACA 65(sub)4-021
228.all NACA 65(sub)4-221
229.all NACA 65(sub)4-421
230.all NACA 65(sub)4-421, a = 0.5
231.all NACA 65(215)-114
232.all NACA 65(421)-420
233.all NACA 66,1-212
235.all NACA 66(215)-016
236.all NACA 66(215)-216
239.all NACA 66(215)-216, a = 0.6
246.all NACA 66(215)-416
247.all NACA 66-006
248.all NACA 66-009
249.all NACA 66-206
250.all NACA 66-209
251.all NACA 66-210
252.all NACA 66(sub)1-012
253.all NACA 66(sub)1-212
254.all NACA 66(sub)2-015
255.all NACA 66(sub)2-215
256.all NACA 66(sub)2-415
257.all NACA 66(sub)3-018
258.all NACA 66(sub)3-218
259.all NACA 66(sub)3-418
260.all NACA 66(sub)4-021
261.all NACA 66(sub)4-221
262.all NACA 67,1-215
263.all NACA 747A315
264.all NACA 747A415
Archive on RASCAL updated
ftp://wilbur.pr.erau.edu/pub/av
Original source:
Article: 956 of sci.aeronautics
Date: 11 Jun 1994 19:35:28 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
Subject: Archive on RASCAL updated
From: rdd@netcom.com (Robert Dorsett)
I've added some of the recent applications and datafiles to the aviation
archive on wilbur.pr.erau.edu. These files are in pub/av/binsrc.
README foil12.sit.bin.Z naca-readme.Z
aeroFcn geomag.c.Z naca.tar.Z
aeroFcn is a FORTRAN program which can be used to determine a number of
common physical variables in the atmosphere. The directory contains a
compiled, sparcstation-compatible binary and the sources. The binary
is "as is."
foil12.sit.bin is a Macintosh application which can derive and display
any specified NACA airfoil.
geomag.c is a C program that can be used to determine the magnetic declination
at any point on the earth's surface.
naca.tar.Z is a collection of naca airfoil data, listing aoa vs. cl and cd.
This is the same as naca.zip, described earlier today, but unzipped and
tarred and compressed, which should make it accessible to more people.
--
Robert Dorsett
Internet: rdd@netcom.com
How to calculate NACA 4- and 5-digit sections<-Here it is!
Article: 232 of sci.physics.computational.fluid-dynamics
From: hulburt@leland.Stanford.EDU (Greg Payne)
Subject: How to calculate NACA 4- and 5-digit sections<-Here it is!
Organization: Stanford University
Date: Sat, 7 May 1994 04:37:33 GMT
Since there seems to be some demand for this info,
here is the method to calculate NACA 4- and 5-digit airfoil
sections. It is straight out of Abbott and von Doenhoff,
with a little Reigels mixed in.
Basically, a NACA airfoil is composed of a camber line and
a thickness distribution. The thickness distribution is
a single equation, while the camber is usually two joined
quadratics.
the equations for the upper and lower coordinates are:
x(upper) = x - yt*sin(theta) y(upper) = yc + yt*cos(theta)
x(lower) = x + yt*sin(theta) y(lower) = yc - yt*cos(theta)
where tan(theta) = d(yc)/dx
in these equations, yc is the camber line, yt is the
thickness distribution.
A common approximation (small-angle) is to assume theta
is small, so that sin(theta) is approx. 0 and cos(theta)
is approx. 1. The equations become:
x(upper) = x y(upper) = yc + yt
x(lower) = x y(lower) = yc - yt
for 4-digit airfoils, the camber lines and thickness are:
(yc/c) = (f/c)*(1/(x1^2))*(2*x1*(x/c) - (x/c)^2)
for 0<=(x/c)<=x1
-and-
(yc/c) = (f/c)*(1/(1-x1)^2)*((1-2x1)+2x1*(x/c)-(x/c)^2)
for x1<=(x/c)<=1 with x1=(xf/c)
(yt/c) = 5t*(0.29690*x^0.5 - 0.12600X - 0.35160*x^2 +
0.28430*x^3 - 0.10150*x^4)
where t = thickness/chord
x = position along x-axis
xf = position of maximum camber
f = maximum camber
for 5-digit airfoils the thickness distribution is the same,
only the camber line is changed. There are two types, based
on the third digit. The majority of 5-digit airfoils use what
I call 'type 0' (i.e. NACA 23015):
(yc/c) = (k1/6)*(x^3 - 3*x1*x^2 + x1^2*(3-x1)*x)
for 0<=x<=x1
-and-
(yc/c) = (k1*x1^3 / 6) * (1 - x)
for x1<=x<=1 with x1 = (xf/c) and x = (x/c)
the constant k1 is determined by the following table:
xf 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25
x1 0.0580 0.1260 0.2025 0.2900 0.3910
(Cl*/(f/c)) 26.9 19.6 16.4 14.5 11.3
(k1/Cl*) 1205 172.1 53.2 22.13 10.77
I haven't included the 'type 1' camber line. If you would
like it, let me know.
Breakdown of the NACA designations:
In a 4-digit airfoil, the first digit is the value of the
maximum camber (in percent of the chord), the second digit
is the position of the maximum camber from the leading edge
in tenths of the chord, and the last two digits denote the
maximum thickness of the airfoil in percent. For the
NACA 2415 airfoil, the maximum camber is 2%, the position of
the maximum camber is 0.4c, and the thickness is 15%.
This example is displayed in below.
NACA 2415
NACA 24 mean line (24)
15
NACA 2 maximum camber, % (2%)
4 10 * position of maximum camber (0.4c)
15 thickness, % (15%)
The NACA 5-digit airfoils are set up in a similar manner
to the 4-digit airfoils. The primary difference is the use
of a different camber line. In a 5-digit airfoil, 1.5 times
the first digit is the design lift coefficient in tenths, the
second and third digits are one-half the distance from the
leading edge to the location of maximum camber in percent of
the chord, and the fourth and fifth digits are the thickness
in percent of the chord. For example, a NACA 23015 airfoil
has a design lift coefficient of 0.3, has the maximum camber
at 0.15c, and is 15% thick. Additionally, the first three
digits indicate the mean line used. In this case, the mean
line designation is 230. The 5-digit airfoils use the same
thickness distribution as the 4-digit airfoils. This example
is displayed below.
NACA 23015
NACA 230 mean line (230)
15 thickness, % (15%)
NACA 2 (design lift coefficient * 10) / 1.5, (0.3)
30 2 * (position, maximum camber), (0.30 / 2 = 0.15c)
15
NACA 23
0 type of camber line used
15
The above information is from two primary sources:
Abbot, Ira H., and von Doenhoff, Albert E. Theory of
Wing Sections. copyright 1959, Dover Publications, Inc.
(ISBN 0-486-60586-8)
Comments: This is the RclassicS book on airfoil design
and data. Approximately half of the book is devoted to
data (coordinates, wind-tunnel tests, etc) of NACA airfoils.
The first half is an introduction to airfoil design,
covering such topics as: simple flows, 2-d wing theory,
viscosity, high-lift devices, etc. A chapter is devoted
to airfoil families, and describes the NACA airfoils.
ItUs a good book to buy, loaded with information, and
only $12.95.
Reigels, Dr. Friedrich W. Aerofoil Sections. copyright
1961, Butterworth & Co. (translated from German by D. G.
Randall )
Comments: I found this book in the Stanford University
library and I donUt know how available it is elsewhere.
It is similar in format to Abbot and von Doenhoff, in that
the first half is mostly theory, with the last containing
results of various airfoils tested in numerous wind tunnels.
It has a little more detail on the NACA 4 and 5 digit airfoil
construction than does Abbott and von Doenhoff, and information
on non-NACA airfoils.
This hase been cobbled together from things I have been working
on lately. Hope it helps to answer any questions. I have not
included any other NACA series (i.e., the 6-, 7-, or 8-), since
they are based on inverse methods (Theorsden, I think). I have
heard talk about a source code that can calculate these
coordinates, but I haven't seen it.
AGARD 01 (NACA 0012).
AGARD 03 (NACA 0012).
Spline data files from LaRC.
NACA 4- and 5-digit airfoil methods
Article: 980 of sci.aeronautics
From: dedalus2@aol.com (Dedalus2)
Subject: NACA 4- and 5-digit airfoil methods
Date: 27 Jun 1994 11:11:15 -0500
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
In article , hulburt@leland.Stanford.EDU
(Greg Payne) writes: how to do it
If anybody wants it, I have a DOS program called generate.exe that
does the 4- and 5-digit math. I will send it to anybody who wants it
(I assume few people do) for the cost of postage and a disk -- ie
about $1. You can email me at dedalus2@aol.com.
NACA 6, 7, and 8 series
Article: 1006 of sci.aeronautics
From: hulburt@leland.Stanford.EDU (Greg Payne)
Subject: NACA 6,7, and 8 series fortran program
Date: 8 Jul 1994 14:12:28 -0500
Organization: Stanford University
6-Series:
by CL Ladson and CW Brooks, Jr:
NASA TM X-3284 "Development of a Computer Program to Obtain
Ordinates for the NACA 4-Digit, 4-Digit Modified, 5-Digit, and
16-Series airfoils" (includes source code listing)
NASA TM X-3069 "Development of a Computer Program to Obtain
Ordinates for the NACA 6- and 6A-Series Airfoils"
(includes source code listing)
I have a copy of the fortran source. If anyone is interested
I will check with the person that sent it to me and see
about putting on an ftp site somewhere (I think it is
public domain so it shouldn't be a problem). The notes that
came with it also indicate it is not 'extremely accurate' for
thicknesses of less than 6% and greater than 15%.
7 & 8-Series
NACA TN-1771 "The Development of Cambered Airfoil Sections
Having Favorable Lift Characteristics at Supersonic Mach
Numbers" (8-series)
There is a NACA report on the 7-series, but I can't find it
in my notes - NACA/NASA published an index of NACA's TN's
and it is listed there.
UIUC Airfoil Data Site
MSES (a numerical airfoil development system)
XFOIL (interactive design and analysis)
NAS Data Set Archive
NACA4GEN
From Harold Ginsberg / 76660.3274@compuserve.com
Date: 23 Jul 95 13:09:35 EDT
Subject: NACA4GEN
I wrote that calculates NACA 4 digit airfoil shapes. I also wrote a
program that generates NACA 4 Digit Airfoils in DXF format. A DXF
format can be imported into many CAD programs.
I have been uploading a file call NACA4GEN.ZIP to BBS and on-line
services (Compuserve) and circulating as shareware.
NACA4GEN is directly available via ftp from ftp.mecheng.asme.org/pub/fluid/naca4gen.zip.
This file has two compressed files NACA4GEN.EXE and NACA.DXF
NACA4GEN.EXE is a program that generates the coordinates of an NACA 4
digit Airfoil section. It was written in Fortran. It plots the
Airfoil on the screen and some of the coordinates.
NACA.DXF is a DXF file of an NACA 4 digit Airfoil. It can be imported
into any CAD programs. It was generated by a program call
NACA4DXF.EXE, Which is like NACA4GEN.EXE.
There is a New Web site:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Harold_Ginsberg/.
It has infomation on NACA4GEN (TM) progams; Harold Ginsberg; a Copy of the
shareware NACA foil generators; Info on Aircraft, Ships, and RC models; and
links to other areas of the net.
These Programs are written by Mr. Harold Ginsberg (PE) who has a
B.S. in Aerospace Engineering.
Innovative Aerodynamic Technologies
From Sekhar Chandra / chandra@violet.cs.odu.edu
Date: 16 Aug 95
Subject: COMMERCIAL: Laminar Airfoil Design and Analysis
Innovative Aerodynamic Technologies (IAT), Poquoson, Virginia would like to
introduce a user-friendly package to design and analyze low drag
airfoils.
It is well known that the skin friction drag caused by a laminar boundary
layer is about an order of magnitude lower than that of a turbulent boundary
layer. The tools to design and analyze laminar airfoils, until now, required
"expert" users with extensive experience. This capability only existed with
major aircraft manufacturers and research organizations.
IAT's Laminar Airfoil Manager: Design and Analysis (LAMDA) package is
an innovative tool for novices and expert users alike. The Graphical
User Interface of LAMDA integrates a flow analysis code, a boundary layer
mean-flow analysis code, and a boundary layer stability code and allows
even an inexperienced user to conduct a reliable design/analysis in a
stable working environment.
Features include:
Interactive inputs
Ability to generate NACA 4-&5-digit, and 6 series airfoils in seconds
Ability to conduct flow analysis to compute the pressure distribution
Ability to conduct laminar boundary layer mean flow analysis
Ability to conduct linear incompressible boundary layer stability analysis
On screen plots of airfoil geometry, pressure distribution, suction
distribution, boundary layer velocity profiles, stability parameters such
as boundary layer disturbance growth rate.
Postscript output of all the plots
Capability to bookkeep all the user files related to laminar flow analysis
LAMDA Version 1.0 was developed under NASA Small Business Innovative
Research (SBIR) program and all the codes used under the interface
were extensively used for over ten years.
This package is multi-platform based running under X-windows. It can be
used on PC's running LINUX operating system. It is a unique tool for
design/analysis of low drag airfoils which reduces the turn around time
from days to hours. LAMDA is useful to experimental aircraft designers,
General Aviation aircraft designers, researchers as well as students.
If you are interested in receiving pricing and additional information,
please contact us at:
Innovative Aerodynamic Technologies
534 Wythe Creek Road, Suite C,
Poquoson, Virginia-23662
(804)-868-4151 (voice)
(804)-868-0816 (FAX)
chandra@violet.cs.odu.edu (e-mail)
You can also get more information at
http://tag-www.larc.nasa.gov/tops/tops95/exhibits/sbr/sbr-156-95/sbr15695.html.
NACA-1.2
From Stuart Norris / S.Norris@unsw.edu.au
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 16:15:42 +1100
You might be interested in looking at
http://www.maths.unsw.EDU.AU/~norris/software.html
which contains the original Fortran, and a C version for those who
don't know any better. It can create 4- and 5- digit and 1- and 6-
series airfoils.
Public Domain Aeronautical Software
Ralph Carmichael / ralph@cruzio.com
http://www.pdas.com/.
PROFOIL
Michael Selig / selig@opus.aae.uiuc.edu
http://opus.aae.uiuc.edu/~airfoils/.
Air_16
Dr. Patrick E. Hanley / phanley@connix.com
Hanley Innovations
P.O. Box 870
Storrs, CT 06268
Air_16 v 1.0 for Windows 3.x, NACA 4 and 5-digit Application.
Aircraft Design Software Review
Aircraft Design Software Review
NACA 4 Digits Series (JAVA applet)
From Jens Trapp / Jens.Trapp@dlr.de
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 10:54:03 +0200
We have a nica java applet, where you can create NACA 4Digit
Series Airfoils online. You'll find it on
http://www.ts.go.dlr.de/~jens/NACA.html.