1970's Dreamin' - Ford Powered Biplane Racer Concept

 With the 2010 Reno Air Races fast approaching (Sept 15-19), I thought now might be a good time to check out this little blast from the past. I remember seeing these pix when I was a kid, but I don't even know what this hot looking little biplane racer was called. And, it's just a model here, as far as I know, it never got built. It sure would be cool to know the whole story on it, but two things you can tell for sure from these pix - it's gorgeous, and it was meant for some Ford V power.

 Right around 1970 was a pretty exciting time in the world of biplane racing with airplanes like the Hot Canary and Sorceress coming on the scene. This airplane would have fit right in with them for sure. The extensive innovation that was going on actually led to some changes in the biplane class rules that ultimately may have brought all the really cool stuff to an end. In my opinion, the biplane class needs a little shot of this kind of thinking to stir up more excitement : )

 Lastly, I think it's worth mentioning how cool so many of the airplanes designed in the late 60's and early 70's were. Not just racers either, lots of experimental and prototype aircraft too. I know I'm old-school, and have 40+ years of aviation history crammed into my 49 years, but I really think we need more of the design 'spirit' from those days to weave itself into our fabulous new construction materials and engines. Sure, airplanes should perform well, but man, they should look cool too! 

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!)

Can The Right Coat Of Paint Save General Aviation In America?

 A beautiful 1973 Citabria 7ECA with great looking paint  (photo: PopularAviation.com)

 Honestly, I didn't set out to start a series of posts on 'Saving General Aviation', it just sorta happened when I realized that a potentially wildly popular homebuilt airplane like the Onex from Sonex could actually be a catalyst for big time turn-around. As some of the comments from that first post in the new 'Saving GA' category shows, not everyone agrees in the power of a little airplane like that to have any real impact. I understand the skepticism, but I learned to fly back in 1974 when I was 13 in a Citabria very similar to the one above, same paint scheme, but it was red, and was the 150hp 7KCAB. The 70's were a pretty boomin' time for general aviation, so at the very least, I have some history with being a young and very active pilot right in the middle of an exciting time in aviation. I feel like I have a sense for the kinds of things that could bring those days back... and I'm thinking if the Onex can fulfill all its promise, it'll be a part of the solution.

 The more I thought all this thru, the more I let my slightly twisted mind run with possible ideas that could make a difference. That's when I came up with the idea of a nationwide network of 'Cub Training Centers' as an effective way to train loads of new pilots at lower cost. This comes partly from low daily operating costs, but mostly from the low acquisition cost of an old original Cub compared to ANY new airplane. A Type Certificate that was pretty much paid for by the late 1940's means that old Cubs are miles ahead of airplanes that are still on the uphill climb to pay for their development costs. A couple of wonderful by-products of Cub training are: new pilots that can fly a taildragger, which I will always believe makes you a better pilot, and, new pilots who have experienced flight from day-one on the more 'fun' side of the fence.

 But now I'm moving on to 'Saving GA' idea number 3. Are you ready for it? It's paint. Yeah I know, you probably already think I'm crazy, and if you don't, this idea will probably push you over the edge. But I think the right paint jobs could have a huge impact on the public perception of flying, which in turn could draw thousands of new people into aviation. My honest assessment of the paint jobs on the vast majority of general aviation aircraft built today is that they run from uninspired to downright awful. I see a few that rise above this condition, but very few. I realize this is my opinion and you may not agree.

 To me, airplanes that are mostly white with an odd mix of bizarre swooshy lines in boring colors is just not the way to attract people. Especially these days since the people we wanna attract have been heavily exposed to a world that is hardcore driven by high-quality graphic images. From sports teams, to NASCAR, to coffee stores (to whatever you can think of).... marketing with a great graphic image is standard operating procedure these days. Except in the world of factory built aviation. I think this has to change, ASAP! 

 A colorful row of Cessna 195's at Oshkosh 2010  (photo: AirPigz)

 As an example of what I'm talking about, take a look around at any local fly-in, or a mega event like Oshkosh (any event that attracts homebuilt, antique and classic aircraft) - one of the most obvious things you'll notice is a lot of color. Like that Citabria in the top pic, or the classic Cesnna 195's above, most airplanes that are flown by people who really love to fly have a lot more excitement going on with the paint. Coincidence? I don't think so. I think paint that inspires and excites goes hand in hand with a person's desire to fly. Seems like great paint would certainly have the ability to better catch people's attention and ignite a passion for flight that actually leads them to pursuing learning to fly. It sure couldn't hurt.

 It's not just about color tho, it's also about a paint scheme that really compliments the airplane's design. I don't think I'm the only one who would say that most general aviation factory paint schemes are just weird. We need a real revolution in the graphic design concepts that relate to airplanes. I haven't done exhaustive searching on the subject yet, but so far I only find one source for extremely effective paint scheme design, and that's from the Italy-based Aircraft Studio Design. Mirco Pecorari and his team have created some of the most powerful visual enhancements to a wide range of aircraft over the last several years. Their work has been used by many race and airshow aircraft, like Gary Ward's MX2 below, for example. You've probably seen lots of their work and didn't even know it. I'll have a detailed post on that before long.

Stunning paint design on Gary Wards's MX2  (photo: GaryWardAerobatics.com)

 But the point here is that great graphics speak to people. And with the relatively high cost of aviation compared to many other activities, we sure better be offering an experience that keeps you desperately wanting more. I don't claim to have all the answers, but I know we can do much better than we have been. Understand, I'm not suggesting that all general aviation airplanes start looking like that hot MX2 above, as clearly a paint scheme that complex would add noticeably to the cost, but with some serious creative sweat, we can transform the boring paint schemes of most airplanes into sensible, cost-effective 'brand marketing' for the truly amazing world of aviation. I think we desperately need the right coat of paint to help revitalize general aviation in America. 

 As always, I'm interested in your thoughts... I'm pretty sure you have some : )

Add 'Cub Training Centers' To Save GA In America (CoolPix & Video)

(click pic for hi-res)         A perfect Piper Cub at Oshkosh 2010

 I've been spoutin' off about the near-perfection status of the good ole original Piper J-3 Cub for a long time now, but my post the other day about Sonex Aircraft's Onex and how it might be able to fix the desperate condition of General Aviation gave me a chance to suggest something fairly radical. What if we took a giant step backward and made a hardcore effort to put 200 or more original Cubs to work all across America teaching people how to fly? Why would we wanna do this? Well, a fully certified Cub in good condition can be bought for under $40,000, which means you can get about THREE of these antique airplanes for the cost of one of those supposed-to-be-really-affordable LSA's. And while I admit that I haven't flown any of the new LSA aircraft, I do have a lot of time flying a clip-wing Cub around with the window down and the doors open... I know there's no way any of the modern LSA's can be more 'fun' than a Cub.

 In my estimation, the 'fun' factor is essential in getting people into the amazing world of aviation. But we desperately need to find ways to make it more affordable too. The much lower initial investment of the Cub helps right away, and then the daily operating costs should be able to compete directly with an LSA, or maybe even beat it. Possibly most important is the idea that we NEED to make this kind of a solution happen. To me, this means that we need people passionate about flying that will dive in and make this work without the idea that it's all about money. I'm not suggesting they shouldn't make, sure they should! But if making money is priority number 1, then most likely the cost structure will be built in a way that makes it all cost too much. 

 I'm also thinking that we probably need to strategically place these Cub Training Centers at just the right spots around the country to be sure that they have enough activity going on to make the operations profitable. Ultimately, I think we need some benevolent, trusted group of people or organization to oversee this plan. With a bit of centralization, I would think the operations could be streamlined and standardized to make it all work very successfully.

 About now is when some of you are shaking your head at all this crazy dreaming. Well, it is a bit crazy, but it's way past time we get some sort of active 'pilot producing' plan into action. With the buying power of the average American shrinking a lot over the last 10 years and the cost of avgas over $4 a gallon, what are we gonna do? We can give up and watch it all dwindle down to nothing, but you and I both know that's not really an option here. 

 So, the real point to this post is just to soak in a little Piper Cub imagery. The CoolPix pic above should stir up a little passion in you, and the video clip from One Six Right below should really get your grass-roots blood pumping. You can be sure I'll be back on this subject soon with more of my ideas on how to make Cub Training Centers a reality. Til then, feel free to leave a comment... even if you think I'm crazy : )

Video: 10' RC C-47... Under 7 Pounds & Flies Like The Real Thing!

Screenshot pix from the video below

Don't let the boring thumbnail fool ya, this is a Must See video!

 Radio controlled models are awesome, but one thing they don't do very well is look like real airplanes in the way that they fly. They're usually very quick on the response and move thru the air too quickly for their size to really look like a full scale airplane. However, this ultralight C-47 made out of foam has a 10 foot wingspan but it weighs less than 7 pounds. That may not seem like a big deal, but just watch it fly in this video... this big size and really light weight make it one of the coolest flying machines I've ever seen! (UPDATE 8.16.10: I talked with the builder of the C-47, Gary from Clovis, NM, and he said it actually only weighs 5.4 pounds! That really explains the great slow flying qualities. More coming soon.) 

 The much slower flying speed and the relatively low power of the motors makes it look amazingly real. This is especially true on the fabulous wheel landing at the end of the video. I could watch, or even better, fly this thing all day!

 I'll have more on this brand of off-the-scale avgeekery soon : )

Coming Down With A Bad Case Of Bugatti (100P) Fever - With Video

(click pic to enlarge)      The amazing Bugatti Model 100P       from: BugattiAircraft.com

 The truth is that I've been coming down with a bad case of Bugatti 100P fever ever since I first saw this wooden piece of aerodynamic design perfection several years back at the EAA Museum. I mean really, how do you see this stunning aircraft in person and not have it affect you? Even if you find the shapes to be a little too far over the edge for your taste, surely you'll still marvel at the fact that this thing was dreamed up and built way back in the late 1930's!

 The airplane was the work of Ettore Bugatti (the car guy) and engineer Louis de Monge, and they had visions of the 100P as an air racer. There's actually a little mystery as to what all the motivations were for the airplane's design, but the unfortunate truth is that World War II came along before the airplane was flown, and as a result, one of the most fantastic aircraft to ever be built, never even flew.

  (click pic to enlarge)                                                          from: BugattiAircraft.com

 You may already know that two guys from Tulsa, Oklahoma (Scotty Wilson and Gregg Carlson) are actually building an accurate replica of the airplane. Not only is it thrilling that these guys are building this replica, but if things go like we think, the replica will finally give us a detailed idea of how well (or if at all) this airplane flies. I found the video below today on youtube... it's from a few years back, but is shows a Bugatti 100 RC model that looks very accurate in proportions, and it flies great! I'm betting the replica is gonna fly very well too. The model even has conter-rotating propellers just like the original airplane. You can see in the cutaway above that two Bugatti built engines are installed in-line behind the cockpit. Each engine drove a shaft that ran along the sides of the cockpit up to a gearbox in the nose. Pretty amazing stuff! The replica is likely to wind up with two BMW engines that will somewhat accurately reflect the original ones.

 Here's a picture of the replica fuselage progress from earlier in 2010. I'm in the process of trying to get more details and info on the current status of the project, and hope to be able to bring lots more information in the next few months about both the original airplane and the replica. The last info on a anticipated first flight for the airplane that I saw said May, 2011. However, as with any mega-sized airplane project, don't be surprised if the guys aren't ready by then. However, they're making some very impressive progress... maybe they will make it! (UPDATE 8.13.10: after I put this post together, I learned that on August 6, 2010, Scotty Wilson did an EAA webinar covering the history of the airplane and shared many details on the replica project. You can view the Buagtti 100 webinar, however, it's almost 1 hour and 20 minutes long. I hope to take much of the most interesting info and condense it in a follow-up post soon) 

 You can get more info on the original Bugatti 100P by checking out the Bugatti Aircraft Association, the replica build project at CheckeredFlag.aero, and the original airplane on display at the EAA Museum. 

 Check out the awesome sound of the counter-rotating props and the overall great flying qualities of this Bugatti 100 RC model.

OSHKOSH Pic Stream #8 - Departures (Includes C-5 Galaxy - 22 pix)

 Some people drool over a Piper Malibu, Beech Bonanza, or a Cirrus SR22, but if I was able to have any airplane that could take a few friends along and get there kinda quick, I'd want this Mr Mulligan replica! I'm assuming this is the one from the Arkansas Air Museum as I'm not aware of any other replicas of this most amazing aircraft from the mid 1930's. 550 hp hangin' off the nose and room for four... I'm likes it!

 I got this pic while on the way to help my friend @adamcanfly get his camping stuff moved from Camp Scholler to the far south end of the airport so we could load it into the Cherokee he had flown in from Kansas. We had to stop and let Mr Mulligan taxi by in front of us, and it's hard to catch me at Oshkosh without my camera. Mr Mulligan looked to be all loaded up and blasting off for home on this morning, the the last day of Oshkosh.

 Once we got down past the south end of 18-36 where the Cherokee was parked, which btw, Adam claims is actually far enuf south to be considered part of Fond du Lac and not Oshkosh(!), I realized that some of the departing aircraft were going right overhead. Another great time to grab the camera! This pic is a modern WACO with the nifty FlyWACO.com web address on the underside : )

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Oshkosh 2010 Pic Stream #7 - The End Is Nearing (21 pix)

 By Friday, Oshkosh 2010 was getting closer to reaching the end, and I was really beginning to wear down from covering the grounds 12+ hours a day, but that doesn't mean there wasn't still a bazillion things to see! As usual, there were cool things to look at right up until I left the grounds on Sunday. These pix however are from Friday. This is the Plane Driven PD-1, a highly modified Glasair Sportsman configured to actually be able to drive down the road with the wings folded.

 This big black pod under the cabin is hiding an 80 hp engine that is used to drive the main-gear wheels for road driving. Tho none of the pictures here show it, the pod actually gets moved way aft along those rails creating a really long wheelbase when in the driving mode. It's moved forward, as shown, for the flight mode to keep the weight of the engine and associated components on the airplane's CG.

 It all makes a very unique solution to the decades long quest to make an airplane that also can roll down the road. But honestly, I still struggle with the idea of putting a lightweight airframe thru the potentially punishing experience of potholes and rough roads. And then there's all those crazy drivers on the road too! Overall tho, the PD-1 seems well executed, and only time will tell if this is an idea the world is really ready for.

 I thought it was pretty cool to see three Pitts Model 12 aircraft with a KC-135, a C-5, and the Erickson Air Crane all in the background. As usual, loads of aviation diversity at Oshkosh.

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Oshkosh 2010 Pic Stream #5 - Sunny Thursday (And Wearing Down) (12 pix)

 Thursday found me wearing down from covering so much real estate on Wittman Field for Oshkosh 2010. So, I'm a little late getting these pix posted, and they're just a very small part of the day, but the sunshine and nice clouds made it a fantastic day to get great photos.

 I've seen a few Sikorsky S-64 Sky Cranes over the years, but the Erickson version of it called the Air Crane is by far the cleanest and most impressive. Like last year, the Air Crane put on a water-drop demo as part of the airshow. This very unique flying machine is always an awesome sight to see.

 This F4U Corsair was stunning to see. It was getting a lot of attention from its crew, but that was just to make look more perfect than you can imagine. It was also beautifully displayed in one of the corners of Warbird Alley.

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Oshkosh 2010 Pic Stream #4 - AvGeek Nation! (26 pix)

 You see a little bit of everything at Oshkosh... this portable toilet 'environment enhancement' is just down the road from me in Camp Scholler. I would never have thought to do such a thing. Never.

  I've been seeing the very cool mega-super-sized-kind-of-a-Super-Cub airplane called Sherpa for years at Oshkosh, but I've never really got the idea that airplanes were being built, delivered or otherwise getting into the hands of people who want them. So, I stopped by the booth to find out what's going on. The bottom line is that after years of not quite having things all sorted out, things are now finally all sorted out. It looks like the Garrett prop-jet powered 8-place super STOL homebuilt airplane is ready to take on the world. I'll have more info on this big beautiful beast before long.

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