Algie Composite Aircraft 'LP1' - 385 MPH At FL290 & 14.5 GPH?

Algie Composite Aircraft LP1 rendering and logo  (images: Woodward Aerospace)

 (11 pix, 2 videos)

 The LP1, or 'Light Pressurized 1', began over 15 years ago in the mind of David Algie. It wasn’t just an idea 15 years ago tho, work actually began on this airplane that far back, and the basic shape has been frozen for quite a long time. The LP1 is a two-place, pressurized, carbon fiber kit aircraft powered by an adapted Chevy Corvette LS engine that is intended to operate at altitudes as high as 29,000 feet (with sea level cockpit pressurization) and cruise at 385 mph burning just 14.5 gallons of fuel per hour. Even more astonishing is the goal for a 1,080 pound empty weight which will give this aircraft the ability to carry two 200 pound people, 50 pounds of baggage, and 62 gallons of fuel… all with a gross weight of just 1,902 pounds. Imagine the climb performance with 300 hp under the hood and such a light airplane!

 When I first saw the airplane at Sun-n-Fun in April 2010, the claim of 385 mph on 14.5 gph along with that flashy engine compartment, and the general feeling that this airplane wasn't designed the way were used to in the aviation world is what caused me to shake my head and walk away. The 2-seat carbon airframe with an elliptical wing claiming crazy high cruise speeds, sea level pressurization at 29,000 feet, and with an automotive engine tightly shoehorned into the cowl (and an unusual looking prop/spinner nose) pretty much told me this was just another crazy dreamer. I’ve been around homebuilt airplanes since the early 70’s, since before I was even a teenager, and I’ve seen a boatload of dreamers come along and make Bede-esque claims of wild performance coupled with low cost and build simplicity... but in the end, they all disappeared.

David Algie and the LP1 featured on a STIHL sponsored video recently

The LP1 on display at Sun-n-Fun 2010  (photo: Woodward Aerospace)

 But a couple months ago I had reason to be curious enough to find out more about that ’crazy’ airplane, and the research that day opened my eyes to what just might become one of the most revolutionary aircraft of the last 40 years.

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Video: Swiss Pulse Jet Team: These Guys Are Crazy - I Love It!

 You'll be tempted to stop watching this video at about 20 seconds, and if you do keep watching, you'll probably be thinking there's a lot of drama going on with the guys in the pink shirts thru the first minute... but if you're smart and you stick with it, you'll see at 1:30 what it's all about. Holy kick-in-the-pants Batman, that's one high powered RC model!

 A 'pulse jet' powered model to be exact. The acceleration and the insane high speed kinda puts the pre-flight drama in perspective. Can you even imagine trying to keep your brain wrapped around that thing while it's in the air? Very, very cool stuff.

 And I do recommend you watch it all the way to the end (3:54) to see the sweet deadstick landing. Great job guys!

Audio Comparo: Yuneec E430 Takes On The Radial Rocket (HeHe)

 I've been doing a lot of research on electric powered flight these last few days which has left me remarkably encouraged for where the state of the art will soon be. There are a lot of projects in the works and some leaping and bounding going on. I'll be posting more about that before long.

 One of the things that's hit me hard about electric flight tho is the sound of the airplanes... or the relative lack thereof. So, to make me feel a little better, I did a little audio comparo today, pitting the Yuneec E430 all-electric aircraft against the Radial Rocket powered by the 360hp Russian M-14 radial internal combustion engine. Is it a fair comparo? Of course not. That's not the point. But it does kinda point out how much the sound can drive the passion for flight. At least it does for me.

 So, take a listen to the Yuneec in the video above. It's only 23 seconds long, so you'll get the important sound bite quickly. It's actually pretty interesting how much that little electric motor and prop sound like a smooth and powerful turboprop as it flies by. I was somewhat surprised by how much I liked the way it sounded.

 Then, after you listen to the Yuneec, check out the Radial Rocket video below. If you're anything like me, by 30 seconds into it your heart rate will quicken and large amounts of saliva will begin to pool in your mouth. By a minute into the video you might be thinking something like: "If I sold the house and lived in my car, I could have one of those beasts!" Yeah, the sound of a radial engine, with a bazillion moving parts rubbing up against each other with a little oil between them, controlled explosions of hydrocarbon  fuel and air going on at an amazingly high rate, and an exhaust output that would curl ole Al's hair are really a large part of what makes a really great airplane. So, while I'm ok with electric airplanes moving in and changing the game, I just hope will have some gasoline (and the bucks it'll take to buy it) for as long as I live so we can be sure to have airplanes that sound like the Radial Rocket does!

(more details on the Radial Rocket coming soon... this is definitely one to talk about!)

Electric Revolution Sparks Internal Combustion Innovation?

Unique rotary piston internal combustion engine from Simplicity Motor Works

 We're seeing some fabulous advances in electric motor/battery technology as has been recently demonstrated by the Solar Impulse, but viable everyday use of this propulsion for aircraft is still a long way off. But, you could still believe that the days of the internal combustion engine (ICE) are numbered by this exciting promise. Yet, the ability to cover long distances simply by refilling a fuel tank with a liquid that is easily transported and stored is actually pretty fantastic. Compare that to having to recharge batteries, or even worse, the infrastructure nightmare of having to trade your batteries at every stop. Sure, the Solar Impulse is about using solar energy, but realistically, an everyday viable solution for that is way, way off in the future.

 It's the simple beauty of using liquid fuel that makes me think that the ICE will be around for a long time yet. But wouldn't it be nice if we could engineer and ICE that would be much lighter, more powerful, and more fuel efficient?  OK, lets add much cheaper too while we're doing a little dreaming. 

 I was recently tipped off about the interesting engine pictured here. It claims to move way down the turnpike toward fuel-burning utopia with some rather interesting design features. You can learn more and see some animation and video at SimplicityMotorWorks.com. I'm guessing that it comes with some measure of snake oil or BD-5 hyperbole mixed in, but it really does look interesting. This is exactly the kind of thinking we need to create some real advances in near-term aircraft propulsion.

 I did a little more research and found some other extremely innovative ideas out there that take the ICE to significantly higher levels than ever before. I'll be back before long with a more in depth look at how the recent progress being made in electric motors just might be the catalyst for taking the internal combustion engine to places we never really dreamed possible.

 Exciting stuff to be sure!

Get more info at SimplicityMotorWorks.com

CAF B-29 'FIFI' Scheduled To Fly Again June 29, 2010

Installing 1 of 4 modified Wright R-3350's on the B-29 FIFI    photos: cafB29B24.org

 After 4 years on the ground plus a lot of hard work and financial support, the world's only flyable Boeing B-29 Superfortress, owned and operated by the Commemorative Air Force, is scheduled for a test flight on Tuesday, June 29, 2010. FIFI will be back in the air once again! The flight is expected to take place at 8:00 am at the CAF Airpower Museum in Midland, Texas. Visitors are welcome to come watch, and the museum will be opening at 7am to give interested spectators a front row seat to see pre-flight prep and the flight itself. Admission to the museum is $10 for adults, $9 for ages 13-17 and over 65, and $7 for age 5-12.

 FIFI first began showing up at airshows in 1975 after an extensive search and restoration project by what was known then as the Confederate Air Force. I clearly remember it was a really big deal when she first arrived at Oshkosh, and I have years of memories of this grand aircraft from WWII participating in the Warbird airshows there. My recent ride in the B-17 'Yankee Lady' has really made the historical importance of these aircraft, and the people who did battle in WWII, become so much more real to me.

 The work required to put FIFI back in the air centered around the need to update the huge Wright R-3350 engines. The version originally used in the airplane has always been problematic, and when metal shavings were found in the oil, it was clear that major changes would have to be made. The re-engine project built up a variation of the engine from two different versions and required modifications to the engine mounts and cowlings. Hopefully these modifications will not only get FIFI back in the air, but will make it easier to keep her there for many years to come.

 Much of the re-engine project funding was jump-started by support from Jim Cavanaugh of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum (CFM). Both the B-29 and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator operated by the CAF will be based out of the CFM in Addison, Texas for 6 months of the year, and then be on tour with CAF crews around the country the other 6 months.

 Lastly, I haven't seen any confirmed reports yet, but hopefully FIFI will be included in the large collection of aircraft scheduled to be at Oshkosh from the CAF. The EAA's "Salute to Veterans" along with 75th anniversary of both the DC-3 (C-47) and the B-17 are drawing a lot of significant historical aircraft to the best place on earth: Oshkosh : )

Video: Some Very 'Precious Metal' From Reno 2006

 I was at Reno 2009, and interestingly, the last Reno I had been to before that was... 1970! So it's true, I missed a lot of the details of faster-than-fast air racing for a lot of years. But I'm trying hard to keep up with what's going on these days, and I'm loving it.

 I'll admit that all I knew about the P-51 racer called 'Precious Metal' was that it had green wings and looked pretty highly modified. This video really helped get me up to speed on this gorgeous airplane. Partly from what I saw, and partly from the journey searching for more info that it put me on.

 Ron Buccarelli raced the airplane at Reno from 2002 thru 2007, tho I don't see any record that it was raced in 2005. The green-wing P-51 never got tuned to be killer fast, but it had some features that make it very special. The biggest of them being that it was powered by the Rolls Royce Griffon engine. The Griffon was the last of the big V-12 engines from Rolls Royce, and it incorporated a lot of design improvements over the very popular Merlin. It was only slightly larger than the Merlin but it had 36% more displacement: 2,240 cubic inches. The engine was produced in many different variants with a range of horsepower from 1,730 hp to 2,420 hp. The last versions used in WWII aircraft were equipped with contra-rotating props that eliminated the torque experienced on take-off. This was especially important because the engine rotated opposite of the Merlin's rotation leading to difficulties for some pilots.

 So, Precious Metal was also equipped with the contra-rotating propellers. The engine prop combo made for some great sounds and sights! This video does a great job of sharing both with you. And thankfully, the video maker didn't put any music in there to mess up the beautiful airplane 'noises' : )

 Precious Metal still seems to be owned by Buccarelli, but I couldn't find any specifics on the current status of the airplane. Regardless, seeing her at Reno 2006 in the video is a really big treat. You might also want to check out this mustangsmustangs.net page on Precious Metal, it has more info and a boatload of great pix of the green winged, Griffon powered P-51!

 And, Reno 2010 is September 15-19... get there if you can!

The First Electric Airplane - The BD-5 Micro At Oshkosh 1971!

Jim Bede and a big crowd with the prototype BD-5 at Oshkosh 1971

 C’mon, work with me here a little - I’m not talking about electric propulsion, we’re just starting to get that figured out… I’m talking about how the BD-5 Micro electrified the homebuilt airplane world in 1971 when it first showed up at Oshkosh.  It hadn’t even flown when it was on display that year, but as these pix show, interest was very high.  In fact, by the end of August 1971, 800 orders had been taken, and by the end of that year: 4,300!

 It’s pretty clear that today the experimental airplane movement is in pretty desperate need of an airplane to come along and stir the imagination like Bede’s little Micro did.  And let me be clear, whatever this new airplane is, it desperately needs to be wrapped in the truth.  Truth about performance, truth about ’build-ability’ and truth about how easy it is (or isn't), to fly.  I’ll admit I’m still a really big fan of the BD-5, but in those early years, the little red V-tail pusher didn’t really spend much time leaning up against the truth tree.

 These pictures from Oshkosh 1971 are a story all by themselves.  When I was trying to find a useable pic of the prototype V-tail BD-5 last year, I scoured the internet with very little success.  There just aren’t very many out there, and even fewer that are really good.  And then I was flipping thru an old photo album when my eyes almost fell out.  Turns out I've got my own pix, and they’re actually really good!  I’m pretty sure I’m even the one who took them, as a 10 year old! 

 So, today I ran these 3 thru Photoshop and got them looking remarkably crisp.  I hope you grasp some of the history that they display.

The 2-stroke snowmobile-style engine system revealed in the prototype BD-5

 The pic above is interesting because it shows the engine compartment with the cover off for all to see.  The BD-5 was ahead of its time on several accounts, and the idea of using a 2-stroke snowmobile-type engine was one of them.  Given all the complications that were to follow related to the engine systems alone, I’m surprised they were so willing to let it all be seen like this.  Maybe even Bede didn’t realize he was already in over his head.  It’s also cool to see that Bede (in the white shirt, sunglasses and EAA hat) was letting people try the Micro on for size.  You also get a really good look at the aluminum tube main spar for the wing.  Bede had used that feature on the BD-1 which later became the American Yankee.  He also incorporated it into all of his other designs as far as I know.

 This prototype BD-5 was actually an aluminum skeleton under-structure with fiberglass panels giving it the beautiful shape.  It wasn’t much later when all that was changed to an aluminum skin over more traditional formers and stringers.  The V-tail disappeared too.  In reality, pretty much everything changed before they really had a frozen, completely viable airframe design.

A crowd gathered to watch the BD-5 engine run!

 This pic above doesn’t really need much else said, it’s pretty much off-the-scale-cool seeing the prototype BD-5, with the V-tail, before it had flown, at Oshkosh 1971, with the engine running, and a crowd of eager onlookers of all ages.  Wow. 

 As I pointed out in my previous post about the BD-5 program, the BD-5 dream just couldn’t make the leap to reality, and thousands of people who thought they were gonna be screamin’ around the sky in a Micro never got to.  Some think that’s a good thing as the airplane also wasn’t the easiest to fly due to the side stick controller, the low seating position, and the relatively high performance.

 All this brings me back to the need for a really great, affordable, buildable, beautiful experimental airplane for the masses… an ‘electric’ airplane, tho it might not be electric powered.  I’ve got some ideas (don’t I always?) on how we might find that airplane.  I’m gonna think them thru a little more, and then I might toss my idea out there and see if anyone responds.  I’ll give you a little hint: I’ll be looking for a team.

Video: GEnx Turbofan Engine Build To Flight Test In 2 Minutes

 Modern turbine engines are a lot quieter and much more fuel efficient, but they are still extremely complex and have a lot of close-tolerance parts that move pretty fast... many of them in a really hot environment.  As a result, the build process is highly specialized.  This video doesn't give a lot of detail but it does give you a really good idea of the basic work that goes into putting a big turbofan together.  This isn't just any old turbofan either, it's the General Electric GEnx engine recently developed for both the Boeing 787 and the 747-8.

 This specific example is for the 747-8 and produces somewhere around 66,000 pounds of thrust.  There's a lot of commonality between the GEnx engines, but the ones for the 747-8 retain the bleed air systems like have been used for many years.  You may already know that the 787 engines, either the GEnx engines or the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000, don't have the extensive bleed air systems since the 787 replaces most of those systems with electrics.

 This GEnx also has a slightly smaller overall diameter (105 inch fan diameter compared to 111 on the 787) to allow it to fit on the 747.  It's pretty amazing tho to see the flight tests in the video of how much larger the engine looks when hanging off the wing than the standard 747 engines.

 It's also interesting to note that the first GEnx powered 787, aircraft number ZA005, has had its first engine runs recently and should be making its first flight before long : )

Video: Hypersonic X-51A Waverider - Make Go Fast!

 A pretty big deal of a test flight is scheduled to take place in just a couple days, on Tuesday May 25, 2010, as the Boeing X-51A Waverider unmanned hypersonic test aircraft will be dropped from a B-52 at 50,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean to hopefully show true viability for air breathing scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) power.  On the flight, the X-51A will initially be powered by a solid rocket booster up to about Mach 4.5 when the scramjet will be lit and accelerate the vehicle up to around Mach 6. The video above does a great job of explaining the program details.

 The short video below shows a nice animation of how the drop from the B-52 and the flight itself might look.  It's all pretty interesting stuff, and the results will likely give either the pro-scramjet or anti-scramjet folks some ammunition in their relatively long and hotly contested debate.  It should be a pretty exciting show either way!

Video: Mower Power To The People - Remembering Leeon Davis

 Leeon Davis very quietly built some of the most unique and great performing homebuilt airplanes.  Ever.  He was all about simple, lightweight, and easy to build.  His designs never really caught on like they should have, but somehow I don't think he even cared.  He was too busy just being a really nice guy to worry about it.  This video gives a great look at one of his last projects, the 20hp Briggs and Stratton powered DA-11.

 You can learn a lot more about Leeon's airplanes and design philosophy in this Budd Davisson article about the DA-2 originally written in 1973. 

 Leeon Davis passed away in 2007.