Do you think a chief designer of rc planes can design and build a real plane?
I'm watching Flight of the Phoenix. Good movie.

RC planes are "real" planes. They're just not full size.

With enough research. Yes i think so. But it totaly depends on the type of plane ofcourse.
But there are allready lots of kits out there that tye everyday Joe can put together.

So it hink given time and money they could do that yes.

Only on the original movie, not the remake.

Sure why not.

I doubt it. I don't think that the R/C model designer does much if any of the load / stress analysis required on the big stuff. The model stuff is more of " eyeball engineering " I don't think getting something to fly is the issue......It's getting something to stay together in the air that's a challenge.

Geffen

Aerodynamically Yes.

Mechanically No.

Originally Posted by 1320fastback

Aerodynamically Yes.

Mechanically No.

Exactly. Even full-scale aircraft designers sometimes fail to notice and address issues (whether they be a short in the middle of a 200m wiring job or leakage of a hydraulic pump) before the airplane enters production. For example, the deHavilland guys didn't notice there was a serious issue in their Comet jetliner before one fell apart in mid-air. Even the experienced people at Boeing overlooked a landing gear door buffering issue until the 747-8 took off for its maiden.

If it was that easy, then locomotives would fly...

The aircraft in my avatar was designed and built by modellers, and it was a riot. There was no way I would hang a motor on it. The early Ultralights were really ropey, they flew, not many guys got killed due to the rules.

As far as the pros are concerned, they have generations of good ol' fashioned experience behind them, although the math does help...

The rc designers might have a full scale background. They are very different aircraft, and would require some experience to switch either way with good results.

It really depends on what kind of 'plane' we're talking about.

Most RC engineers probably don't have any experience with aircraft internal combustion engines... which you would need.

If you ask him to design and build an airframe with instruments and electronics, he could probably make something minimally airworthy, as long as the power system was done by somebody who knows what they're doing.

Here is something scary. Start at about 2:15

My Home Depot Project Airplane (6 min 2 sec)

I'm confident that many RC modelers here on RCG are more than capable of building full-scale airplanes. I am certain I can do it. Just go to the scale forums and see the thought and engineering that goes into model planes and many of them are better designed than most pre-war aircraft. We have better materials, more reliable and powerful engines, and Google at our fingertips.

It's been done as far as I know a few or more times. One airplane that I can remember is the JN-1 experimental homebuilt. An R/C guy designed it as he would a model. As far as I remember it flew fine.

Just build a 60%-70% scale but with an airfoil capable of lifting 180-ish pounds