Designer, release 1.0.2.2 - 03 Oct 2025
New feature :
- motor calculation : new propeller calculation model and solver (generic and for many manufacturers)
- PropMach module : add motor(s) quantity and air rho
Bug corrections :
- plane dxf export was broken
Improvments :
- user manual reworked
Designer, release 1.0.2.1 - 31 Jul 2025
New feature :
- PropMach module : automatically calculates all propeller + motor solutions for a given operating point in flight, and allow to choose the best set-up for a given target (best efficiency, lower weight, etc.)
Bug corrections :
- memorization of size and position of some forms was broken
- on wing VLM analysis, changing results dynamically with rho was broken
- plane analysis and tail calculus failed when reseting tail from existing plane
- motor current was under estimate in flight (level and climb) at high speed
Improvments :
- better accuray of fuse drag, especially at high reynolds
- faster climb plane performance solver algorithm
- better accuray of climb solver at min speed
- in plane perfs comparison, show perf file name in addition to plane file name
- renamed aircraft performance save/export buttons
- all features are now fully accessible in trial mode, except saving files
- user manual reworked
Designer, release 1.0.2.0 - 07 Jan 2025
Executable is now 32 + 64 bits with auto-switch (depending of windows version)
Foil design :
- add spline / lines radiobutton
- add dxf/plt/hpgl/eps import
- improve dxf export
Designer, release 1.0.1.9 - 09 Jun 2024
Application :
- correct decimal format of axis labels in charts
- new user manual (french and english)
- charts autoscale bug correction
ToolBox :
- add selector for Kuchemann correction
Plane analysis :
- add roll inclination
- improved dCmCG calculation (now relative to trim Cl)
- improved wing downwash calculation (tail position corrected by Alpha projection)
Wing and Tail design :
- add foil polar extract function
VLM analysis :
- add adjustable numbers of panels
- add tail simulation along span
Designer, release 1.0.1.8 - 03 May 2024
Application :
- add Plane Comparison tool, with configurable axis and template system
- add better charts autoscale
- restore forms shown on new / open / save plane
- warning : new polars folder organization (Polars -> FoilsPolars, PolarsComps -> FoilsPolars\Comparisons)
VLM wing alone analysis :
- correct efficiency with canard
Plane analysis :
- correct charts maximization area
Designer, release 1.0.1.7 - 12 Apr 2024
Application :
- round charts bounds values on zoom and pan
- add axis interval to popup menu
Plane Analysis :
- better x axis autoscale for Motor flight charts
Airfoil workshop :
- "undo" button works now for single point modification
- add "set" button to save current work in memory ("undo" action will reload this memory)
- fix crash on opening foil if decimal separator of Windows is ","
Designer, release 1.0.1.6 - 29 Mar 2024
This release is a major one... Maintenant Gemini Aero Designer parle enfin Français !
Application :
- add multilingual feature with french translation (language selection in the ToolBox)
- add errorlog function to crash handler
- add form reload function on startup
- add keep visible opened form(s) function
- improve form resizing, with better font's size selection
- improve form closing / hiding
- improve force and speed unit change in charts
- select content of textbox on entering
Charts :
- add "nearest pt" and "current pos." text to coordinates and curve snap
Foil editor :
- add Y autoscale to be orthonormal with X axis
- improve foils mix, with different ratios for upper et lower sides
- improve camber calculation
- improve pop-up windows of polar's data and picture manipulation
Motor & Propeller :
- correct no thrust speed unit and rounding of value
Aspect Ratio Tuning :
- add auto-redraw of wing's planform
Manual :
- add 2 pages : foil edition with zoom and mix foil function
- some rework
Designer, release 1.0.1.5 - 25 Dec 2023
Foil polar comparison :
- Reynolds checkboxes and user values are saved with comparison file
VLM analysis :
- add datagrid columns and cells selection and copy feature (can be directly paste to a spreadsheet)
- add more accurate calculation of induced angle (and drag) by efficiency (1.5D and VLM3D)
ToolBox :
- add Reynolds calculator
- add sweep @ %chord to elliptical wing wizard
Bug corrections :
- performance calc of tail and fin : automatic duplicate foil's polar to new chord when adding new panel
- performance at fixed lift : keep user defined speed bounds of charts when regen performances
Designer, release 1.0.1.4 - 08 Dec 2023
Plane analysis :
- correct bad refresh of wing load
Wing foil selection popup menu :
- add AspectRatioTuning and clear function
Tail and fin foil selection :
- add popup menu (add / clear / AR Tuning)
Foil edition :
- add popup menu (edit / delete / insert) via mouse on chart or on points list
- add keys shorcut function (enter, suppr, inser keys) to points list
- improve mouse selection of points
Charts :
- add cross coordinates
- improve curve and point snap, with nearest point before or after (and not only after)
User manual :
- lot of rework with more explanations
Designer, release 1.0.1.3 - 28 Nov 2023
VLM wing analysis :
- correct CmCG bug with high-swept twisted wings
- add CSV export
- use better legends for Cd series
Application :
- add Maximize / Minize function to charts (via the contextual menu)
User manual :
- add more explanations about VLM wing analysis
Designer, release 1.0.1.2 - 23 Nov 2023
Application :
- add unit change system without restarting application
- add force unit choice : N, daN or kgf
- add horizontal speed unit choice : m/s, km/h, knot
Wing and tail design :
- correct bug on entering negative sweep if initial value is 0
Foil geomtery :
- add contextual help to confirm button of foil change
User manual :
- add more explanations about wing analysis
Designer, release 1.0.1.1 - 26 Oct 2023
Plane performance :
- recalc 1.5D static margin on plane load or reset
Wing VLM analysis :
- add global lift and drag forces
User manual :
- add explanations about wing analysis : 3D VLM linear & non-linear vs 1.5D Polhamus
Designer, release 1.0.1.0 - 03 Oct 2023
Aspect Ratio Tuning :
- bug correction on "weigth" condition
- add seperation between "speed" and "weigth" zones
- add mouse scroll to values
Plane performance with motor :
- add seperation between "level flight" and "climb" zones
Wing VLM analysis :
- change colors and type of line to the same as for other graphics (linear = blue, non-linear = red)
User manual :
- add summary
- lot of rework and additions
Designer, release 1.0.0.9 - 30 Jul 2023
Lot of work for this major release !
Application :
- add motor and propeller design and analysis, with different input parameters
- add automatic message at startup if new release available
- improve chart scale selection
- cross and legends are activated in each chart (just move mouse over the chart)
Tool Box :
- add save plane geometry to dxf
Plane performance :
- add motor flight analysis : level and climb advanced solver (can handle in the same time second-rate flight and propeller-hung flight, see example below)
Designer, release 1.0.0.8 - 06 May 2023
Application :
- bug correction on loading a plane with wing diheral in mm
- adding in Tool Box : plane save to image (png)
Gemini Aero Tool has now a code signing Certificate, form Sectigo.
Designer, release 1.0.0.7 - 05 Apr 2023
Application :
- size and speed optimization
- add Tool Box with nice features
- add powerfull Aspect Ratio tunning module (for each foil polar in Polar Comparison)
Designer, release 1.0.0.6 - 29 Mar 2023
Application :
- fix bug on exit (plane analysis data changed flag not reset after save)
- improve exit dialog box
- add trial message at startup
Tail design :
- fix double fin YPos change handler
Plane analysis :
- add Cl choice (plane or wing) to CmCG and dCmCG/dCl chart
- add analysis choice (linear or non-linear) to drag ratio chart
Example files:
- add flying wing
Designer, release 1.0.0.5 - 21 Mar 2023
Plane analysis :
- add csv export of full plane analysis (fixed speed & fixed lift)
- fix fuse Cd bug
Designer, release 1.0.0.4 - 11 Mar 2023
Application :
- check online lastest version (clic on "?" credit button)
- add button to open user manual
Plane back image :
- add hide/show function
- save/open image with plane
Plane analysis :
- fix weight bug (decimal character was filtered on keyboard)
Designer, release 1.0.0.3 - 06 Mar 2023
Airfoil workshop :
- now handle .dat files with different coordinate separator (tabulation, semicolon or space) and with text lines
- add filter to .dat files with text line(s) blended with coordinates
- add "Undo" button
- add "Confirm changes" checkbox
Wings and tail :
- improve management of decimal numbers around 0, like dihedral=0.5
Fuse :
- drawing correction of jet fuses and thin nose
Features in development :
- add warning
Designer, release 1.0.0.2 - 06 Mar 2023
Registering simplified for individual users and micro-business
Plane analysis : add automatic recalculation for CG and flight conditions change ("Auto update with data change" must be checked)
Designer, release 1.0.0.1 - 01 Mar 2023
Plane analysis : the charts on the right of the screen were incomplete.
Application : attempt to reduce some antivirus false detection.
New kid on the block ! - 01 Mar 2023
After a good year and a half of gestation, I am very happy and proud to present Gemini Aero Designer !
Initially, Gemini was intended to be a simple port of PredimRC in a standalone application, freed from the constraints of Excel, but over time the project has become much more ambitious and I finally designed a totally new software, with a new approach and a new theoretical background.
The heart of this application lies in a new linear + non-linear 3D VLM solver, capable of handling complex wings, including ellipticals and multi-profiles. This solver is coupled with xFoil via a non-linear interpolator (Re, Alpha, Cl, Cd, Cm), which recalculates in real time each operating point from a field drawn up once and for all during the creation of the airfoil polars.
The result is a speed and an analysis efficiency without equivalent for general public software, with real-time recalculation of results each time the aircraft design is modified. It is thus possible to very quickly find the optimum twist distribution of a flying wing, or the setting of the tail of an airplane to ensure longitudinal balance.
The possibilities of analysis are very complete, one can for example precisely determine the initiation zones of the stall on the wing, as the local max Cl max is recalculated fort each operating point, or study the evolution of the longitudinal stability in non-linear over the entire flight envelope, including stall. A remarkable result, among many others, is the determination of the non-zero induced drag of a twisted wing at zero lift, where almost all other software are satisfied with a zero approximation (simplified formulation of Prandtl = Cl²/Pi.AR) instead of a true integration of 3D results.
The classic modules, such as the design and modification of an airfoil, have not been forgotten, they have been taken care of to be as complete as possible while being very easy to use. The manipulation of the points can for example be done locally with the mouse or globally automatically, and it becomes very easy to digitize a profile from a scan or a photo.
As it was necessary to formalize a first version and begin to publicize the application, the development was frozen at a first stage of maturity. Some modules are not yet active (powered flight, dxf export of the plane, comparison of the polars of several planes, calculation of servos, optimization of the Aspect Ratio, biplane... and many other nices features !), they are under development and will be added in the months to come.
Good discovery,
Franck - Gemini Aero Tools