Movie Rig #2 Gyro Test (1.6 mb)
History of Rig #1
Well after a month or two of building, then the first flight on December 22 2001. Then at Jets over Deland January 28, 2002 was the first hands off hover flight. On March 04, 2002 at Fl Jets it was flown forward at low speed with a vertical landing. On March 16, 2002 it was time to fly it forward like a reg plane. Also on March 16, 2002 it crashed... NO MO RIG . The turbine quit at ~40 mph and ~300 feet, it should have glided better but at 35 lb. and 4 x 10 inch fans, it glided like a set of car keys. http://www.corpcomp.com/weeks1/movies/rigcrash.WMV
What was lost .. ? .. The plane is a wreck. As you can see the airframe is a total loss. But that is it. All the tail rotors are fine, batteries, gyros, speed controllers ect all OK.
The first rig airframe cost me a few hundred dollars. The new one should not be very expensive as it will have a Phil Nuza, molded nomex honey comb nose. Molded fuel tanks (5-6 min instead of 3 min), and heading hold gyros. The new plane should be lighter and able to carry more fuel. (I hope). Many people have said it may have a transition problem going from zero airspeed to fast forward flight. On the last flight this was some what tested, and I can say, this is not a problem. Some of the hovering was done in 15-20 mph wind and it worked fine. As soon as I sell these 4 Isobar kits at Miss afterburner I will get off my a&& and build R2. Anybody want to help.. ? Baton Rouge LA,, any time.. ??
This is Rig # 1, it was flying forward around 50 mph and the turbine quit. I was hoping it would glide better but at 35 lb...... oh well.
Most of the improvements for Rig #2 will be weight. If I can make
the plane
lighter then it should be able to fly longer than 3 min like Rig #1.
Rig #2, will have a nomex honey comb molded nose section (thanks Phil
Nuza)
Molded fuel tanks, newer lighter batteries, lighter speed controllers
ect.