Video: The Slick View Of OSH13 - Must See!

 We didn't get a video from 'Slick' for OSH12 with his involvement in the U.S. Navy, but this year he was able to get behind the camera at OSH13 and capture more awesome avgeek beauty from the world's greatest aviation event!

Well done Slick, you've definitely still got it : )

Check out the OSH10 video and the OSH11 video from Slick

Screenshot from Slick's fabulous video of Oshkosh 2013

Video: PAL-V Flying Car Kinda Motorcycle Gyrocopter Thingy Flies!

 I'm willing to go on record saying that I just don't think the idea of having a car that can fly is a really great idea. My biggest issue relates to the fact that flying machines are lightweight... and lightweight flying machines that can be driven on the road (where pot-holes can do serious structural damage), and can be parked with cars driven by reckless human beings (where all kinds of damage can occur) are just too much at risk for having their airworthiness compromised. The worst case scenario is when damage occurs but remains undetected.

Video screenshot of the Dutch PAL-V roadable gyrocopter which has now flown
 

 But there remains a significant desire among many to see the car and the airplane produce some sort of hybrid offspring. The PAL-V flying car project designed and built by the Dutch company PAL-V Europe NV has recently made its first flight as the video above shows. I'll admit that the overall setup here looks pretty sweet and very well executed, but I'll stand by my love for flying machines that only do their wheel rolling on an airport : )

Heaven On Earth: 2011 Oshkosh Video Recap From 'Slick'

 Youtuber slickhutto has just completed his 2011 Oshkosh recap video. He's got skills, so you're sure to enjoy this look back at the greatest aviation event in the world. If you haven't seen his past work, check out Video: Oshkosh 2010 Recap Music Video - Wow! (Hot Stuff)

 And goodness sake, if you weren't at OSH11, will you please start making serious plans right now to work this amazing, inspiring, and satisfying extravaganza-of-the-skies into your summer 2012 plans. No more excuses! OSH12: July 23-29

Burt Rutan (Scaled) Model 367 BiPod: Twin Engine Electric Hybrid With 4 Props!

Props not installed, BiPod 'hops' into the air for first flights  (photos: Scaled Composites)

 (5 pix)

 Oh, it's got two fuselages and 4 wheels too... would you expect anything less unusual from Burt Rutan with his last design project before he retired from Scaled Composites April 2011? If you know anything about the amazing and unique career of Burt, you know this is right down the middle for him!

 According to this Aviation Week article, the BiPod first flew on March 30th, but those were just 'hops' into the air via the driven rear wheels. I'm not sure the current status of flight testing or of the propeller installations. I'm sure more info will surface before long.

Scaled Model 367 with wings and outer tail panels removed for road testing 

 The Scaled Model 367 is unconventional on many levels. It's a roadable electric-hybrid aircraft for two people with an intended high speed cruise of 200 mph. It'll have two 450cc engines (one in each fuselage) powering generators designed to drive two 15kW motors at the rear wheels for 'road mode', and then four 15kW motors spinning props for flight mode. As the illustration below shows, two of those motors are mounted on the wings outboard of the fuselages, and the other two are mounted on the horizontal stab between the fuselages. There are also some small batteries in the nose to provide a little power boost when needed, and also to act as a short duration backup in the event of a total loss of engine power.

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Sun, And Fun, Bring #SNF11 To A Close (16 Pix)

 Like I mentioned yesterday, I'm just a tad obsessed with the Pitts Model 12. Here are two more nearly perfect examples to check out. The blue one being refueled belongs to Greg Connell, and the red one is Kendal Simpson's with the cowling off showing the fab M-14 radial engine that makes the 12 the beast that it is. Wow.

 This STOL Zenith CH 750 was getting ready to head back home to Georgia. It was on display at the Zenith booth to replace the one that had been blown over in the big storm on Thursday. Several vendors faced some serious challenges in trying to do business in the storms aftermath.

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Video: Wrapping Your Head Around The PD-1 Roadable Aircraft

 While I have thoughts that cars don't belong in the air and airplanes don't belong on the road, I will say that the Plane Driven PD-1 is a very interesting concept. This video really helps you to understand how they intend for it to work.