Flying Motorcycle

[David A Ramsey]

HobbyCAD has just posted in the Aerodynamic Thread about the Bensen and it's bad habits and I remembered seeing the Flying Motorcycle on TV.

Any full size gyro pilots care to comment on this gyro ... It's tempting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T_h_xA24sQ&mode=related&search=

[BragMan]

Hi David,

Larry Neal at Butterfly is one of the good guys - he also works for the excellent Jay Carter, who has some awesome high speed rotorcraft flying at Carter Aviation Technology - and Larry (as Chief Test Pilot there) test flew the CarterCopter Technology Demonstrator for him:-

http://www.cartercopters.com/pr_2005-06-17_photo4.html

Larry has also licensed and modified the Cartercopter 'soft landing' undercart that lets him 'stop and drop' his Butterly aircraft with the long-travel "G-Force" suspension making it safe and comfy.

And Carter also has this neat jump take-off-and-vertical landing project that forms the technical basis for their PAV.

Jump! :-
http://www.cartercopters.com/images/weekly_update/2006-12-31_ctd-t_jump_t_o_to_zero_roll_ldg.html

Carter PAV:- http://www.cartercopters.com/pav_12g.html

Notice any similarities to the Butterfly gyro trike in the Carter jump machine?

Well, here's the Butterfly video page:-

http://www.thebutterflyllc.com/video/videos.htm

I particularly recommend the MLS (Metro Launch System) and G-Force videos.

Larry is deadly serious about this, although my feeling is that you need a warm dry climate for his present offerings to be viable. They are, after all, only the first of their kind. I applaud his efforts!

There is a lot of new gyro technology coming along these days.

I've twice had the privilege of sharing a podium with Jay Carter at conferences, and he too is deadly serious about the high speed cruise capability of his approach. His aircraft broke the Mu barrier when Boeing and over a billion dollars could not get there. His original proof of principle 'poor man's wind tunnel' model flew at a Mu of 8. The reality is that slowed-rotor aircraft can show a lower drag at cruise than plain old fixed wings - because the slowed rotor drag is so small, and the wing can be fully optimised for cruise without considering landing speed - the transition from rotor to wing usually occurs at well over 100 knots, so the main wing can be slim and efficient without being big.

And we know who Carter's chief test pilot is.... ;)

All the best, Ben

[David A Ramsey]

Wonderful reply. 1 question for now: What is the Mu barrier?

Would love to study the mehanical drawings of those gyros.

Thanks Ben.

[JochenK]

David,

have a look at this articles:
http://www.cartercopters.com/key_features_heliplane.html
http://www.cartercopters.com/faq-general.html#question3b

Jochen

[David A Ramsey]

Thanks Jochen; Have only had time to scan Carter Site. Your 2 links gave me the Mu definition. Will take me awile to get through the Carter Site.

[r1derbike]

I witnessed the jump-takeoff at Oshkosh. The tricycle over-the-road concept is nice, but that swinging prop is quite a hazard on the road.

Charles

[bat]

here is a european design using a similar concept
http://www.pal-v.com/

[r1derbike]

Bat:

Looks like the front-end of my R1! I wish the developers success, but I see many problems with the mock-up, beginning with the rotor/gimbal assembly, narrow track, lack of prerotator, no steerable rudder for yaw, and unacceptable power-to-weight. I'm assuming it will be using a motorcycle engine equipped on a standard, adaptable motorcycle frame, possibly a sportbike judging from the front fairing.

The mechanics/hardware for the "leaning through curves" motorcycle handling should add considerable weight, to the airframe. A requirement on a tricycle this narrow, as it would tip-over from excessive top-end weight, at a very low speed.

This will be quite heavy, requiring a powerful engine (my R1 has 150 crankshaft horsepower).

The too short rotor height from the ground, and too close proximity of the prop to the rotor hub, is also cause for alarm.

The fact that it may only be licensed under the 2 year old LSA (Light Sport Aircraft) class, should give clues about its weight.

The concept is noble, but the finished product will have to steer far from the artist's renditions.

Charles