Head in the clouds Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 If the ultralight, as opposed to LSA, movement is to survive I think we need to concentrate on design and construct firsts more than on flight firsts. At one time schools started to build planes in wood/metalwork classes and some of us imagined that might lead on to design classes for some perhaps and flight training for others... There is now an ever-increasing shortage of future airline crew, what about a 'first' aviation oriented primary and secondary school? 1
Guest ozzie Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Yeah, I know Ray well, haven't seen him years though, I did my C185 conversion in his aircarft all those years ago at Warnervale. I think that was the C185 he sold to NZ. If you are talking to him say hi from me. I also know Ray pretty well from our skydiving club and worked for him for a while when we were all cleaning carpets in the Newcastle area supporting our jumping habits. He oranised some pretty good boogies at Rutherford some time back using a DC3 and Casa. He also set up a DZ at Cessnock that rocked as well for a time. He is still around moving between Harvey Bay and Newie.
Marty_d Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 've always wanted to fly an open biplane from the US to OZ via Russia I'd be too afraid some ZU-23 crew with itchy trigger fingers would use me for target practice.
metalman Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 I also know Ray pretty well from our skydiving club and worked for him for a while when we were all cleaning carpets in the Newcastle area supporting our jumping habits. He oranised some pretty good boogies at Rutherford some time back using a DC3 and Casa. He also set up a DZ at Cessnock that rocked as well for a time. He is still around moving between Harvey Bay and Newie. yeh mate I spent a week stuck in Hervey bay with Grace and Ray a few weeks ago,,,good bloke,,,and like a little drink/laugh
eightyknots Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 The first to fly this flying machine around Australia: http://martinjetpack.com/ I saw this at the Wings Over Wairarapa airshow last month and I spent 15 minutes or so talking with the inventor, Glenn Martin. The man is a visionary and I think it's likely to go into commercial production within twelve months.
eightyknots Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Looks like that's for dummies! It's got FAA approval to be classed as a US ultralight; no pilot's licence or certificate is necessary to fly it. Glenn told me that there are thousands of people on the waiting list to buy one as soon as production commences.
Guest ozzie Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 I am wearing a Martin jetpack t shirt that i bought at Airventure 08 at the moment. I tried real hard to get the test pilot job. Got a free T Shirt instead for persistance. They said it would be in production in 09. I think they just crashed prototype no 12 a couple weeks ago. edit: yes FAR103. Glen commented that CASA freaked when they saw it
eightyknots Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 I am wearing a Martin jetpack t shirt that i bought at Airventure 08 at the moment. I tried real hard to get the test pilot job. Got a free T Shirt instead for persistance. They said it would be in production in 09. I think they just crashed prototype no 12 a couple weeks ago. Projected production commencement, early 2014. A tad later than first envisaged so it seems.
David Isaac Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Hmmm, no glide approach in that sucker if the fans stop. Parachute anyone? But that wouldn't do much good from anything below 500' would it? In any case what pilots certificate would qualify you to fly that sucker, its just a thrust director?
dazza 38 Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Too noisy & I reckon it will be too expensive. 1
Guest ozzie Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Has a built in balistic chute. loud yes. Has a 2ltr V4 two stroke plus fan noise. Strips top soil with ease. When i saw it fly first thing i thought was it needs some digital driven gyro stability. Be a ball when you got on top of it. Reminds me of the old saying "Fly as high as you want to fall" predicted price in 08 was 200k. If i had the bucks i'd get one take it to Qld and fly around the CASA building just to piss them off.
DGL Fox Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Has a built in balistic chute Ballistic chute wouldn't help at a couple of hundred feet I wouldn't think if the fan stopped..you would go splat on the footpath outside CASA's office...
David Isaac Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 ... If i had the bucks i'd get one take it to Qld and fly around the CASA building just to piss them off. Just as well I know where your heart is buddy, cause I can understand why you would say that, and I must admit that would be an amusing site to behold. 1
Guest ozzie Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 catch me if you can yoohooo!!!!! The "undercarrage" can handle a drop from 5 mts plenty of roll structure around it.
eightyknots Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Hmmm, no glide approach in that sucker if the fans stop. It's more a blower than a sucker 1
eightyknots Posted February 21, 2013 Posted February 21, 2013 Reminds me of the old saying "Fly as high as you want to fall" predicted price in 08 was 200k. If i had the bucks i'd get one take it to Qld and fly around the CASA building just to piss them off. The "recreational" version, with 600 mm diameter blower fans are going to cost about $USD 100,000. This fits in with the PAR 103 ultralight rules in the US of A. They're also working on a military version which has faster vertical takeoff, a greater range/endurance, etc and is based on 800 mm fans. This version is projected to cost $USD 200,000. Ballistic chute wouldn't help at a couple of hundred feet I wouldn't think if the fan stopped..you would go splat on the footpath outside CASA's office... Unlike planes, where the ballistic parachutes have to inflate in a controlled fashion -to avoid pulling the airframe to bits- the ballistic chute on the Martin Jetpack is extremely fast acting and just about the only delay is the reaction time from the pilot after the engine stops. There's a youtube video of a Jetpack undergoing a trial an earlier version of their ballistic parachute. The production version is supposed to have one that is much faster still.
DGL Fox Posted February 22, 2013 Posted February 22, 2013 the ballistic chute on the Martin Jetpack is extremely fast acting and just about the only delay is the reaction time from the pilot after the engine stops. Yes it might be fast to deploy but at 200 ft about the ground if the engine stops suddenly..your reaction to time to pull the handle..the time it takes to actually deploy and then slow you down enough not to hurt yourself..at 200 ft..is that really enough time for you to walk away unassisted..I don't think so? David
Head in the clouds Posted February 22, 2013 Posted February 22, 2013 Yes it might be fast to deploy but at 200 ft about the ground if the engine stops suddenly..your reaction to time to pull the handle..the time it takes to actually deploy and then slow you down enough not to hurt yourself..at 200 ft..is that really enough time for you to walk away unassisted..I don't think so?David That's true enough but I'm not sure if it's so much different from the dead man's curve portion of helicopter flight, especially if they intend to add small deployable wings at some stage. Perhaps they could also employ a small rocket thruster that fires at the same time as the ballistic rocket and helps to maintain height while the chute deploys... but on the other hand you need descent to open the chute once it's extended I think... ?
dazza 38 Posted February 22, 2013 Posted February 22, 2013 The "recreational" version, with 600 mm diameter blower fans are going to cost about $USD 100,000. This fits in with the PAR 103 ultralight rules in the US of A. They're also working on a military version which has faster vertical takeoff, a greater range/endurance, etc and is based on 800 mm fans. This version is projected to cost $USD 200,000. Unlike planes, where the ballistic parachutes have to inflate in a controlled fashion -to avoid pulling the airframe to bits- the ballistic chute on the Martin Jetpack is extremely fast acting and just about the only delay is the reaction time from the pilot after the engine stops. There's a youtube video of a Jetpack undergoing a trial an earlier version of their ballistic parachute. The production version is supposed to have one that is much faster still. I hope some of the extra 100 grand for the military version is used for kevlar armour plate for the pilot to stand on.Otherwise he may get shot in the backside. 1
metalman Posted February 22, 2013 Posted February 22, 2013 Got Yes it might be fast to deploy but at 200 ft about the ground if the engine stops suddenly..your reaction to time to pull the handle..the time it takes to actually deploy and then slow you down enough not to hurt yourself..at 200 ft..is that really enough time for you to walk away unassisted..I don't think so?David Gotta die of something
dazza 38 Posted February 22, 2013 Posted February 22, 2013 GotGotta die of something I'm hoping I die of old age. 1 1
Guest ozzie Posted February 22, 2013 Posted February 22, 2013 The ballistic system may also have auto function. Don't need much vertical speed for deployment it is not like a normal system that requires the object to fall away from the pilot chute. Ballistic systems pull the canopy to line stretch. Very little altitude is lost in the deployment sequence only in the inflation. Price as advertised at AV08 was 200k. Price lower now due to investment. The one they had there fitted me real nice to.
Marty_d Posted February 22, 2013 Posted February 22, 2013 Hardly a cross country vehicle when you have to fill up every 50 km. Plus the noise of that 2 stroke sounds like the world's biggest brushcutter, that'd get old real fast. And - just noticed... Carbon fibre Engine Heads?? I'm not an engineer or mechanic, but never heard of that before. Wonder what sort of engine life it'll have.
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