Design of a prototype of light amphibious prandtlplane

The present paper describes the activities carried out during the research project “IDINTOS”, co-funded by the Regional Government of Tuscany (Italy), coordinated by the University of Pisa and carried out by a consortium of public bodies and private firms. The project, started in 2011 and lasted 30 months, aimed to the design and manufacturing of a ultralight amphibious PrandtlPlane prototype. The PrandtlPlane is a particular box-wing configuration, studied at University of Pisa since 1990s, whose main advantages are the improvement of aerodynamic efficiency and flight safety. The paper underlines some of the results of the project, achieved by means of both numerical and experimental analyses, which confirm such advantages and provide data about drag reduction, stall behavior, longitudinal stability and maneuverability.