Dead stick with the SE5a

[cgarr]

There is so much drag with all the wires etc. best glide is at 60 gives me about 800 fpm decent no power, but still have speed to flare.

now if it hold about a 1000 rpm it makes a big difference

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by daepp

When you say "it doesn't float" or "sinks like a brick" or some such, does that mean the gliding abilities of a bi-plane are poor?

I thought I had heard that a 152/172 could fly 10 feet forward for every foot of elevation it had. If true, is a bi-plane the same or worse than that? TIA.

Sport Biplanes are made for aerobatics. As such, they usually have shorter wings. And being a biplane, they have two of them, and rigging wires, all making more drag for you.

A C172 should be about 9:1.

On the Biplane Forum, I see numbers thrown around that range from one guy stating his Ultimate 10-200 is about 5:1 (which is about the same as a skydiving parachute, I think) to a guy in a Pitts who said he only got 2:1 in a real engine-out scenario.

A brick is 0:1


When I was training in a Pitts, the instructor said, "If you can see your intended landing spot over the nose, you're not going to make it."

When I was training in a helicopter, the instructor said, "Look through the chin window.... that's where we are going to be."

[cashflyer]

Watch the first minute of this video.
https://youtu.be/JT-25X5ai_k

The guy is at pattern altitude (usually 1000 agl) and is not simulating a power failure. Just a normal landing. From "abeam the numbers" to touchdown... ~34 seconds.

[daepp]

Got it - thank you very much.

I always just assumed 2 wings = more lift = better glider. Guess I assumed wrong

ps Sorry for the hijack. Awesome plane - thank you too!

[pcardude]

Would u take me out and do some rolls and loops and stuff? I'll pay for gas.

[cgarr]

Back in the day they thought you needed 2 wings or even 3, does help the plane turn on a dime, at least one way: here is another cockpit vid I took holding my phone not the best but you get the idea: You can see the drag!



And a takeoff:

[Concestor0]

That's a great aircraft you have there cgarr and I know that a project like that is a huge amount of work. Landings must have been challenging before you added the bungees but even bungees have a nasty tendency to spring you back into the air.

My biplane experience is limited to a few hours in a Murphy Rebel and a Grumman Agcat (with the radial engine). It's like flying around with full flap all day and the glide ratio is horrible. I enjoyed the great roll rate though!.

[cgarr]

just messing around last night, it was getting kind of rainy, came in over the corn at about 55 with a 1000 rpm.

[tevake]

Nice mellow slow cruising cgarr. I would think good for low and slow sightseeing.

Is it comfortable and stable like that?

Really adds to the period feel looking down the barrels and sights of the machine gun.

It would have to be linked to the engine to fire from there?

Thanks for sharing that.

Cheers Richard

[Tim Hancock]

Every airplane I have owned has glided poorly... Grumman aa1b, Piper Pacer and the worst.... my Minimax ultralight. Two real engine outs in the Minimax. Both resulted in a safe forced landing. Instant adrenaline rush when it happens.

[john70t]

Tangent Se5 subject:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%A4ge_Musik

[tcar]

cgar, what's your power?
Didn't the original have an HS V-8?

Originals had the gun above the top wing it looks like.

[cgarr]

The Wolseley Viper was also used, mine has a very reliable o-200 The top gun"lewis" is setup to fire with a propane/oxygen mix.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Every airplane I have owned has glided poorly... Grumman aa1b, Piper Pacer and the worst.... my Minimax ultralight.

Sport biplanes are poor gliders also, and for a real poor glider, try gliding a helicopter.

Craig - I wish you would have flown the SE5 down for the Triple Tree fly-in.
It's only 520nm from GRR.

Skybolt, Hatz, 5 Marquart Chargers, Starduster, Great Lakes, Waco, and others.

And lots of aluminum.
About 400 planes per day.

Triple Tree's General Aviation Events : Triple Tree Aerodrome

[cgarr]

That would be sooo cool to fly down there! 8 hours flight time, 4 fuel stops

[cashflyer]

These are some of the planes in the 'day parking' area of the event, saturday morning.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

You should see the size of the bungees on the A380!

You mean they don't just pick up a bunch of these from HD, and run twice as many?

[wdfifteen]

I'm really enjoying this thread. Thanks Craig.