The XPB Stage 1 underway.

[Hawkeye]

Great to hear high wing being considered. I'm keen on STOL and a taildragger, with a large enough rear spring for ease of manoeuvreing when off field.Folding wing would be essential, to trailer first to some of the more remote parts of Oz and then much more of our great continent comes within range - hence fuel load is also not quite so critical!

 

cheers john

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Would love great visibility, especially downwards, to be able to take photos...

A floor window of laminated glass would be best. You won't get great pix thru Pespex and Lexan unless it's brand new.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Great to hear high wing being considered.

Was always fact, not consideration.

 

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

Do you guys think STOL is popular because it's STOL or that it offers a sense of security in the low speed, short time on the ground aspect?

 

 

[hihosland]

I suspect that true STOL capability is rarely utilised but is valued for the "mine's bigger than yours" bar room spiel.

 

However effective predictable control at slow speed greatly improves utility and safety.

 

 

[limpee]

Large doors and centre stick with300kg usable load for us large blokes

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Large doors and centre stick with 300kg usable load for us large blokes

Oh yeah, "Murican" size is a definate.

 

Yeah, the weight thing, 700kgs is required really, even 650kgs would make a difference to build cost and ease of living with, as well as safety. But that's for the other thread.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Centre stick is crap. After flying my Sav for 3 years with a centre stick then modifying to twin sticks...its a different aircraft to fly. Far more comfortable now on longer trips. The only reason they put centre sticks in is for simplicity of controls

 

STOL...popular because its off the ground quicker and can get into tighter strips. Fun flying really

 

 

[hihosland]

Mains as far forward as practical to take the load off the nose wheel good for soft and rough fields also facilitates moving around in tight hangar spaces by pushing down on rear fuse to lift nose wheel off the ground.

 

Fuse designed with that action in view.

 

Tail skid

 

Brake/ axle assembly designed with choice of wheel/tyre size in view

 

 

[Hawkeye]

Genuine STOL is important for using bush strips. Rec flying is about safely using as much as possible of the available landscape outside of controlled airspace. Such usage is somewhat limited if only 'recognised' strips are available because of aircraft(and also pilot) limitations.

 

Further on the wish list: I feel a sliding door would be a real bonus, especially if the a/c can be flown with it fully open.This provides the best of all options for Oz flying conditions, avoiding the need to fully remove doors in very hot WX but having options to close or partly close in flight due to condition changes.The French mob P'Tit Avion seem to have done a good job, and their wings fold easily and cockpit access is maintained even in the folded-wing configuration.A completely open door is great for photography, especially if a single strut is employed!

 

cheers john

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Recreational Flying is about safely using as much as possible of the available landscape outside of controlled airspace.

That's nicely said John.

 

 

[Hawkeye]

Here's a 'left field' thought - applies equally to high or low wing.

 

The CGS Hawk Arrow II utilises Dacron 'sox' for the wings and fuse, to reduce cost and weight, simplify replacement of damaged areas and shorten the build time. If your fundamental frame is sorted, and does not rely on metal skin for stiffening/strengthening, then the skin material should not matter, within reason.I realise it may mitigate against top end speed, but the Skyrangers/Hanumans etc seem to get along OK.

 

Just one option to further reduce cost and buildtime (the big killers of enthusiasm) for first/low time builders - avoiding the issue of painting with attendant costs, time and weight.

 

cheers john

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

...and having flexible skin over the wings may simplify a folding wing design.

 

 

[kasper]

Everyone seems to want something that flys at 25kts stall. 110knts cruise. Can lift 250kg. Fly for 5 hours on tanks and be built in 200 hours. Oh and option of tri or tail wheel. Not much of an ask is it

 

 

[SDQDI]

Everyone seems to want something that flys at 25kts stall. 110knts cruise. Can lift 250kg. Fly for 5 hours on tanks and be built in 200 hours. Oh and option of tri or tail wheel. Not much of an ask is it

You forgot to mention it needs to be delivered to the door at half the cost of what the bare materials would cost here!

 

 

[bexrbetter]

You forgot to mention it needs to be delivered to the door at half the cost of what the bare materials would cost here!

That's the easy part.

 

Hawk, all the work has been done surrounding aluminium skins, the pre matched holes are working out just great, it's faster and cleaner than covering.

 

it's also healthier because I care about you. Nah, just kidding, it's easier and cheaper for me, if i could add melamine to lower the cost I would..

 

 

[onetrack]

We sent a Chinese spy around to photograph Bex's latest design - which he's now redesigned, to take into account, and meet, virtually all the foregoing demands - particularly the low cost.

 

As you can see, he's stopped at nothing to save on material costs, reduce fuel consumption to zero, and save on weight.

 

There have obviously been a few concessions along the way, though - mostly to comfort, which I'm sure you can all cope with.

 

https://www.eaa.org/~/media/images/news/av-2015/07-19/7-19-15-960-belite-skydock-pr.jpg?mh%5Cx3d280%5Cx26mw%5Cx3d730

 

 

[SDQDI]

Man if that thing could do 110 knots I am in. May need to supply some reasonable goggles though:helmet:

 

 

[kasper]

Great idea but them belite wings will cost you as much as a jabiru kit

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Just moving this from another thread as it's off topic there ...

 

Now that you mention that.. With still no appearance of the 'other' engine you have eluded to..

There's no illusions, it's got quite a number of hours on it now. Not my engine to offer further info on at this time sorry, I have to respect the person's desire to keep details quiet at present.

 

.. yours coming back to the test bench in the near future

Indeed, issues that paused that progress are turning around slowly now, I just paid the patent service fees actually. You may have seen the new factory I will be moving into soon, with the facilities they have it can be manufactured there too if I get a result.

 

 

[onetrack]

Hmmm, there appears to be a need for a Grammar Police call-out, right about here ...

 

"eluded" - 1. escape from, or avoid (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skilful or cunning way.

 

"he tried to elude the security men by sneaking through a back door" ...

 

2. (of an achievement or something desired) fail to be attained by (someone).

 

"sleep still eluded her" ...

 

"alluded" - to suggest or call attention to indirectly; to hint at.

 

"Bex alluded to a secret engine project, without giving any details" ...

 

"illusion" - 1. a deceptive appearance or impression.

 

"Many still think this new engine project, is all smoke and mirrors" ...

 

2. a false idea or belief

 

"he laboured under the illusion that she actually cared for him" ...

 

3. an instance of a wrong or misinterpreted perception of a sensory experience

 

"the clever pattern gave the illusion of real marble" ...

 

Now, there's the illusion that Bex is eluding any intensive questioning, with regard to the engine that he alluded to - however, he's not. He's just agreed to the engine developers request for secrecy.

 

The Grammar Police thank you for your attention. Please return to what you were doing before the intrusion.

 

 

[planedriver]

There's no illusions, it's got quite a number of hours on it now. Not my engine to offer further info on at this time sorry, I have to respect the person's desire to keep details quiet at present.

So are you saying it may eventually be available with a "Hush Kit" where the engine's concerned?

 

The neighbours at Jaspers Brush and many other strips, will simply love that.

[bexrbetter]

Hmmm,

H'm.

 

H'm is what you should have used as an interjection when offering doubt or hesitation, eg; wait a moment, let me correct that ....

 

Some people incorrectly use Hmm which is actually used as an interjection when not sure about something, eg; I'm not sure that's quite right ....

 

Either way, "Hmmm" is never used because it is spelt with 2 mms, not 3.

 

engine developers request

"developer's".

 

 

[geoffreywh]

That's all very interesting, Will the engine be matched to the XPB?

 

 

[SDQDI]

I don't know Bex but I do partially remember a comment he made yonks ago in regards to engines going into his airframe. I can't remember the exact wording but it was something along the lines of not wanting to use an unreliable engine in his airframe lest his airframe got a dodgy rep due to the faults of an engine'.

 

That may be paraphrasing what he said totally out of context but I would guess that Bex won't commit wholeheartedly to a new engine until he is sure it is fairly reliable.

 

 

[Birdseye]

That's all very interesting, Will the engine be matched to the XPB?

I'm sure that he won't entertain a mis-matched engine.