Flying Flea

[Scott Taylor]

Hello all I have recently inherited a flying flea fuselarge that looks to be very well made and I am trying to identify the model. No plans came with the fuse. The overall length of the fuselarge (firewall to tail is 2535mm. If anyone can help would be much appreciated.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I will ask an expert in the area if he wouldn't mind coming here and discussing it with you.

 

 

[Scott Taylor]

Much appreciated Brexrbetter.

 

Thankyou

 

Scott

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Much appreciated Brexrbetter.Thankyou

 

Scott

Hey (Bex), thanks for the vote of confidence but fuselage length only is not really enough. Perhaps if he could provide some pics and you could pass them to me?

 

 

[Bernie]

Andrea (spelling) down Gympie if you can get in touch with him h seems to know a lot about the flying flea .

 

Bernie .

 

 

[kasper]

talk to me - three fleas and counting at the moment - two in the shed and all plans from HM14 to HM380L in my files

 

 

[rankamateur]

Is it just my dyslexia or does HM380L give you some feeling of unease.

 

 

[kasper]

Is it just my dyslexia or does HM380L give you some feeling of unease.

????

HM380 is the lengthened and widened HM360 as a two seater both both wooden fuselage and the HM380L is the Ledderlin welded steel fuselage version of the HM380

 

 

[rankamateur]

My concern was really only it's similarity to MH370.

 

 

[Soleair]

I posted this link on the other thread - in case it was missed & is of some interest, here it is again: flying flea - Nest of Dragons

 

I would love to fly a Flea to find out just how well its 2 axis yaw-induced turn/bank really works. Also crosswind landings would seem on the face of it to present some difficulties, but Flea advocates say not.

 

Would any Flea pilot care to comment on these aspects? I'd love to build one of these iconic little planes.

 

 

[kasper]

smallest flea - HM290 - with standard tailwheel undercarriage well able to handle cross wind up to around 8 knts without spectacular pilot skills - I'm an average pilot - and with differential spoilers it could handle above 10kts direct cross wind - bit more skill required but still within my skills. Anything above 10 kts direct cross wind and I either sat on the ground or landed angled across the runway - it lands and comes to a complete stop in under 100m with 10kts on the nose so at The Oaks you could come over the road on 18 land diagonally angled across the runway and come to a stop before the HS125 parked up at the top hangar - look on Google and you will see in reality how short that is.

 

My handling notes for the new pilot of the HM290FB are somewhere on the internet - couple of typos when someone transferred them to the net but pretty good ... even though they are conversion notes on the difference between the r503 WB drifter I trained the owner on and the HM290FB ... the good old days of instructors briefing students/pilots on a single seater from the side of the plane and then sending them off for their first solo.

 

HM14 with 293 wings was a pussy cat,

 

Hm14 with Hm14 wings was good - but the sharp leading edge gives really poor climb compared to a real aerofoil

 

HM293 is nice - room to put my knees inside the fuselage

 

HM1000 is a doddle - too easy to fly,

 

HM1100 not my cup of tea - who needs ailerons on the rear wing of a flea? oh and a canpoy built for a 5'6" chap is not much fun when you are over 6'1"

 

Cheers

 

 

[Soleair]

Thanks, Kasper. Very interesting.

 

 

[Scott Taylor]

I have a few more dimensions of my Flea Fuse see attached. If any can identify it would be a great help.

 

Regards

 

 

 

[kasper]

I have a few more dimensions of my Flea Fuse see attached. If any can identify it would be a great help.Regards

Closest match is HM360 or a slightly stretched HM293

 

 

[waraton]

 

I had no idea what a flying flea was until now. Some flying fleas from google.

 

 

 

 

[paddo2002]

I am the current owner of the HM290FB of which Kasper speaks. It flies very well. The plans for this aircraft are freely available on in the internet at Pouguide.ar.

 

It flies very well and there is video footage of me doing it at youtube. search Flying Flea at Watts Bridge.

 

Where about are you Scott? If you want any photos of a completed one, just contact me.

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

[Soleair]

That is a lovely example of a Flea, Paddo. Which engine is fitted? How do you find it re crosswind landings? What sort of cruise speed do you fly at? Are you fed up with all these questions yet?

 

 

[paddo2002]

This flea is the HM290FB that Kasper speaks of. It is fitted with a Rotax 503 and a 62 inch prop. Plenty of power and Kasper and I have both been on the heavy side when flying it. No CofG troubles or shortage of power getting us in the air. It is one of two that Fred Byron built. The other was an HM14 which Fred reconditioned and Kasper had the honour of testing them both. Crosswind landings are as Kasper described, a nonevent. This flea also has the howell spoilers and Cossandey Flap. Neither of which I use regularly. It cruises at about 65kt indicated and I am more than happy to answer as many questions as can be thrown my way.

 

By the way, nice Minimax. I have always like them.

 

 

[kasper]

Nice polite way of saying we are both fat bastards ;-)

 

FYI

 

Howell differential spoilers allow you to drop a wing into wind to assist with cross winds but as Paddo points out there is not a great deal of need for them - wide runways and slanted landings suffice - if it too windy for standard landings then generally its a nice day to sit on the airfield and talk bull dust with the rest of the people.

 

Cossandy flap is a negative flap in the rear wing centre section that is primarily designed to dump lift from the rear wing to pull out of a vertical dive - it was designed to overcome a reversal of pitch control on the tandem wing when there is insufficient aerodynamic gap - the HM290FB has one of the worst set ups on any flea - there is nearly overlap of the wings and we fly it at extreme rear CofG per some peoples calcs and even when in a near vertical dive tests at over 120kts full back stick could not trigger control reversal so it can just be used more as a trim device to use when doing extended slow flight but thats not common so not really essential in my opinion.