Disc flight question

[knettles]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the surface texture of a disc does affect the stability quite a bit. It grabs the air while spinning and provides more high speed turn. From my experience, a brand new disc in DX and Champion fly differently. The PLH height is about the same near the beginning of their lives, so the biggest difference is surface texture. Now, I don't know how large of an effect it makes, but I do think it's significant. However, as others have said, there are many factors which make it hard to figure out. As discs age, their PLH and texture change.

 

[smarkquart]

Look at Quest AT's attempt to manipulate the idea of seasoning with their roughed up tops you see in some molds and others with their DT Technology (dimple top). Texture does have a considerable enough effect to explore ways of manipulating it, but it is obviously not enough of an influence where Quest AT discs are the most sought after discs on the market.

At the end of the day, it is up to you to throw the disc because it will do nothing no matter how seasoned it is if it never leaves your hand.

 

[UCF_Knight]

I don't disagree that shape is a huge factor in flight, but I do think surface damage does have a significant effect.

If you take a fresh DX Firebird and throw it low and flat across a parking lot, I would assume it would not change shape much from skidding across pavement. It would however have pretty substantial surface damage. I would guarantee this discs flies completely different than it did before.

Personally, this theory doesn't make much sense to me. For example, if I were to go out now and buy two new Avengers (I'm using Avengers because I am most familiar with them. This will apply to other discs as well), an X and Z Avenger, of identical shape, they would both be of almost identical stability, even though the surfaces of the discs are very different textures. The X Avenger will be slightly less stable (likely because of the surface and material density), but not significantly so. However, if I were to buy a new Z Avenger and a new Z Avenger SS, the Avenger SS will be significantly more understable, despite the fact that the surfaces are very similar. This is because the physical shape of the two discs is different.

In my experience, the flight of the disc is mostly detrmined by the shape of the disc, not its texture. Consequentially, when a disc is beat in, the flight changes mostly because the shape changes, not because the texture changes.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, however I will agree that there are too many factors to expect to include them all in one post.

 

[5QU166Y]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the surface texture of a disc does affect the stability quite a bit. It grabs the air while spinning and provides more high speed turn. From my experience, a brand new disc in DX and Champion fly differently. The PLH height is about the same near the beginning of their lives, so the biggest difference is surface texture. Now, I don't know how large of an effect it makes, but I do think it's significant. However, as others have said, there are many factors which make it hard to figure out. As discs age, their PLH and texture change.

In my experience (meaning that I actually did buy a new X Avenger and a new Z Avenger at the same time), difference between plastics in the same mold makes some difference, but it is not very significant (see my earlier post).

Also, rougher surfaces have less drag than smoother surfaces while in flight, not more drag. That's why golf balls have dimples instead of a smooth surface.

I don't disagree that shape is a huge factor in flight, but I do think surface damage does have a significant effect.

If you take a fresh DX Firebird and throw it low and flat across a parking lot, I would assume it would not change shape much from skidding across pavement. It would however have pretty substantial surface damage. I would guarantee this discs flies completely different than it did before.

That's probably because it would lose its flashing.

 

[knettles]

In my experience (meaning that I actually did buy a new X Avenger and a new Z Avenger at the same time), difference between plastics in the same mold makes some difference, but it is not very significant (see my earlier post).

Also, rougher surfaces have less drag than smoother surfaces while in flight, not more drag. That's why golf balls have dimples instead of a smooth surface.



That's probably because it would lose its flashing.

First of all, I don't really like this comparison just because there's such a difference in the way golf balls and discs fly. A great test for this would be two identical champion plastic molds. One with dimples covering the entire disc, the other without. Secondly, a large gouge in a disc and dimples on a golf ball aren't the same aerodynamically.

 

[joecoin]

Pretty sure he was calling himself a noob.

Yes I was, thank you.

 

[joecoin]

Oh. Haha. I definitely didn't interpret it that way. I suppose that would make sense too.

Apology accepted.

 

[joecoin]

Ahh that could be. I guess I never thought to read it like that.

Apology accepted.