Mean Aerodynamic Chord Calculator

Introduction
With the mean aerodynamic chord (MAC), it is possible de determine the center of gravity (COG)
position in respect to a desired static margin.
The determination of this chord is necessary and complex to obtain.

Description
Several methods permit to obtain the position and size of the MAC. The most common is based on
graphical operations on basic shape, complex planforms are splitted into basic shapes with their
result merged to get the overall result. This can be fastidious and sometimes (elliptical planform,
concorde planform, ) of not a good accuracy.
To resolve this difficulty, is there a little piece of software that allows to compute the MAC from the
picture of a planform.
Formulas used are :
1. MAC leading edge position

2. MAC length

c(y) is the length of the chord at a distance y from the symmetry axis, x(y) is the leading
edge position of the chord at a distance y from the symmetry axis, b is the half wing span.

User guide
The software displays two windows, one for the characteristics of the picture and shape (width,
height, ), the other one displays the shape

Firstable, you have to draw the shape of the wing planform. The file must be of type BMP with
24bits, maximum 1000 dots in size. The shape of the wing planform must be drawn in plain black on
a white backgroung with a gap with the border of the images. Tools like Paint.net allows to do this
easily from building plan or even a photo of the planform (use layers, magic rod, ).
To load the image, do a drag and drop of the picture file from windows explorer to the windows
named Planform . The result is computed instantaneously.
Samples :
Before, a picture from a camera, model seen from above

Using Paint.net , drawing of the contour on a new layer and filling in black:

The result after drag and drop of the file:

The MAC is in blue, height of the shape are drawn with red, leading edge and first quarter of the
MAC are draw in yellow.
On the detail window, positions are from the leading edge of the planform. Unity can be modified to
get size according to the reality.

Install
You can download executable and samples, all files are in ZIP.

Samples of planform :

T50 PakFa:

Canard without fuselage

Un Circaete Jean-le-Blanc