Jeff, you almost had me. I was second guessing myself. But, there is one advantage I have over you. I stayed at a Marriott last night.
(this paragraph taken from a formula 1 web site)
Another important aspect of aerodynamics is the drag, or resistance, acting on solid bodies moving through air. The drag forces exerted by the air flowing over an airplane, for example, must be overcome by the thrust force developed by the engine. These drag forces can be significantly reduced by streamlining the body. For bodies that are not fully streamlined, the drag force increases approximately with the square of the speed as they move rapidly through the air. The power required, for example, to drive an automobile steadily at medium or high speed is primarily absorbed in overcoming air resistance. The more streamline a vehicle is, the less power it needs to obtain high speeds, and therefore is more economical.
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/airfri.html
Air Drag Coefficients and Frontal Area Calculation
The use of coefficient of drag and frontal area are common when determining horsepower requirements for vehicles in motion. One source of these figures are past issues of Car and Driver or Road and Track magazines. These values can also be determined using the following (obtained from "The ACCELERATOR Slide Rule"):
Coefficient of Drag
The aerodynamic "features" of a vehicle in motion are reflected in its drag coeficient values. Low coefficients indicate low air resistance. The following chart list some ranges for various vehicles, which will suffice when actual measured values are not available:
Vehicle Drag Coefficient
Description Low Medium High
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Experimental 0.17 0.21 0.23
Sports 0.27 0.31 0.38
Performance 0.32 0.34 0.38
60's Muscle 0.38 0.44 0.50
Sedan 0.34 0.39 0.50
Motorcycle 0.50 0.90 1.00
Truck 0.60 0.90 1.00
Tractor-Trailer 0.60 0.77 1.20
Calculation of Frontal Area
Frontal area represents the front projection area of the vehicle. If one takes a picture of a vehicle, it is the area included in the outline. Use the following to calculate:
1. Calculate the area of a rectangle which would encompass the front of the vehicle (multiply width by the height). For motorcycles, use the handlebar width (to a maximum width of 30 inches) and a height consisting of seat height plus an estimated "seat to helmet" height.
2. Adjust the figure obtained above for areas not included, such as top rounded corners, etc. Typical adjusting values are 85 percent for cars, 70 percent for motorcycles, and 100 percent for trucks.
Hybrid Mode
