All Things Aviation Related

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I'll see what I can do! They have been real tough with base access since the Covid nonsense. I'm lucky I can even get on, even though our facility is on it.

I should know that...Patuxent River just returned to a higher state of restriction. I can get on base since I am retired but where I can go is proscribed.

If we have to wait, I'll follow the rules - you can only tie the record in these cases

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I'm amazed at the panel on the Mikes. All screens. slight difference from the R22 I took my lessons on !

No kidding - the Navy primary helo aircraft when I went through was a Bell Jet Ranger. The only glass in the cockpit was the windscreen.

I am a bit of a cockpit junkie. I did a lot of the early work in the Navy of glass cockpits and worked, when I was at Sikorsky, with the Army crew station working groups on the Comanche Helicopter. I spent hundreds of hours in the the Commanche simulator at the factory. I was a "geaobach" in Bridgeport and had the time!

The Sikorsky lead engineer on the project was one of the few real geniuses I have met in my life and I was a complete sponge.

I then helped managed the development of the Navy"s "Common Cockpit" for the H-60 series of Seahawks. So much effort goes into the "human factors" aspects of cockpits I think it would surprise folks. Common Cockpit:

[svandamme]

I just love the variEZ and varients, I just don't understand why they never were built commerical and I don't trust the concept of build your own cause I can't trust myself to build my own.

But they look so coool and from whatever I read they fly so well.
Even got a bunch of Rutan books here.. Was one for sale in France last year, it wasn't terribly out or reach.. but Its very much a trust thing innit? buying one built from kit by some dude you barely met?

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by svandamme

I just love the variEZ and varients, I just don't understand why they never were built commerical and I don't trust the concept of build your own cause I can't trust myself to build my own.

But they look so coool and from whatever I read they fly so well.
Even got a bunch of Rutan books here.. Was one for sale in France last year, it wasn't terribly out or reach.. but Its very much a trust thing innit? buying one built from kit by some dude you barely met?

All very good points. That is the name of the game regarding experimental aircraft. I need a condition inspection before this one gets back into the air. I am planning on trailering it down to a guy in Mohave who was on Rutan’s team at Scale Composites. He is know for not pulling any punches if there is something discovered during the condition inspection. His check off sheet is very impressive and he goes deep to find anything not up to scratch. I have all the records and plans for the original build. Some very favorable notes in the logs as well from the FAA and folks involved in the sign off. It was actually built at my current airport and was flown in 1982 when I was 14. Kinda came full circle back to KPVF.
As far as commercial, Beech designed one that I guess was just too out of the norm for the time. I think it’s gorgeous personally.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Starship.
Then there is the Piagio as well. Like all things Italian, it’s sexy!!!! and……….. insanely expensive!
A small fun fact, when I was helping with a dive class at Breakwater in Monterey, and if I was within 10’ of the surface, I could hear them fly over coming out of the Monterey Airport. All because of their distinct sound as the exhaust cut over the propellers.

Cheers


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[bugstrider]

Another Rutan design when he was going after a possible military contract.

https://youtu.be/zG9LlHcX8lg


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[Geneman]

" as digital as a hammer". LOL. ROFL. !!!

[bugstrider]

https://youtu.be/x4xiON1F1DQ


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[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Geneman

" as digital as a hammer". LOL. ROFL. !!!

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[flipper35]

Originally Posted by bugstrider

All very good points. That is the name of the game regarding experimental aircraft. I need a condition inspection before this one gets back into the air. I am planning on trailering it down to a guy in Mohave who was on Rutan’s team at Scale Composites. He is know for not pulling any punches if there is something discovered during the condition inspection. His check off sheet is very impressive and he goes deep to find anything not up to scratch. I have all the records and plans for the original build. Some very favorable notes in the logs as well from the FAA and folks involved in the sign off. It was actually built at my current airport and was flown in 1982 when I was 14. Kinda came full circle back to KPVF.
As far as commercial, Beech designed one that I guess was just too out of the norm for the time. I think it’s gorgeous personally.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Starship.
Then there is the Piagio as well. Like all things Italian, it’s sexy!!!! and……….. insanely expensive!
A small fun fact, when I was helping with a dive class at Breakwater in Monterey, and if I was within 10’ of the surface, I could hear them fly over coming out of the Monterey Airport. All because of their distinct sound as the exhaust cut over the propellers.

Cheers


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Here is a rundown on why the Starship didn't do better.

https://airfactsjournal.com/2018/01/why-the-starship-was-such-a-disaster/

[bugstrider]

https://youtu.be/rHjUHL2AckI


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[john70t]

Originally Posted by flipper35

Here is a rundown on why the Starship didn't do better.

https://airfactsjournal.com/2018/01/why-the-starship-was-such-a-disaster/

Interesting article.
It behooves this 'armchair engineer' why they didn't make the entire canard rotate-able instead of front ailerons which create nothing but turbulence and stall.
(and why not make a smaller surface for small corrections or to bleed air?)

Roll rate could be vastly improved with a combination of opposite action...both front and back...depending on speed..AOA..and pilot input.

And exhausting a turbine directly into the root of a propeller?
There seems to be a lot of energy wasted there.

[svandamme]

Rutan, despite not having built a company to be an industrial mega leader in Aviation , he sure has a legacy of genius design and from what I read, a nice guy as well.

the EZ just looks sooo cool , its like a little fighterplane.
Imagine if they would build one with modern composites , avionics and a small Jet engine (perhaps a bit bigger then a BD)

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by svandamme

Rutan, despite not having built a company to be an industrial mega leader in Aviation , he sure has a legacy of genius design and from what I read, a nice guy as well.

the EZ just looks sooo cool , its like a little fighterplane.
Imagine if they would build one with modern composites , avionics and a small Jet engine (perhaps a bit bigger then a BD)

They are a blast to fly. Now I only have experienced the LongEZ, and it’s amazing. Having said that, I have been told the VariEZ flys like a small fighter. The books on ours shows some speed runs at 185 mph on a C-0200 engine. The son-in-law who I picked the Vari from, revamped the entire avionics suite and did an upgrade to the ignition system. Can’t wait to get this into the air.

Was suppose to meet Mr Rutan at his hangar last summer but he was delayed for family reasons.




The box to the right has a targa top I need to have restored…. Planes n 911’s, what could possibly go wrong with that combination of hobbies?!?!?!?!?


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[VINMAN]

Is that the same plane John Denver lost it in?

.

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Is that the same plane John Denver lost it in?

.

Not exactly,
The one in the picture is a VariEze. Mr. Denver was tragically lost in a LongEze and totally avoidable. Mr Denver was a very accomplished pilot and a huge supporter of experimental aircraft(EAA). The location of the fuel selector valve was changed from the plans and ultimately lead to the crash. As they say, links in the accident chain were broken that day on many different points, and Mr. Denver paid the ultimate price. The LongEze is the big brother to the VariEze and is a bit bigger in the cockpit and fuel load. Ultimately they are both a Rutan design, with the overall feature of the wing to the rear with the canard in the front.

VariEze profile
LongEZ profile
Hope that helps.


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[DRONE]

While we are on the subject of Scaled composites air planes.
https://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/threads/cory-birds-symmetry-details.6092/
you will never see a better looking aircraft than this

[bugstrider]

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[bugstrider]

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[Skillet83]

Have a service center at KRVS for these. Once in a while get to see one low over the house coming in. Just awesome! Took this photo a month or so ago.

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Skillet83

Have a service center at KRVS for these. Once in a while get to see one low over the house coming in. Just awesome! Took this photo a month or so ago.

Those seriously fall into the “super sexy” category. Gotta love that Italian design…



Rutrow!!! corrosion!!!!!!




Kinda cool cloud pic


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[john70t]

The Rutan design in anime: Skycrawlers