Homebuilt crash in WA. 21/10/2023.

[red750]

A homebuilt light aircraft, designed to fly at "2 metres above the water at 120 kph" has crashed in Lancelin Bay, WA.

 

Two people on the plane – the pilot and a passenger. Both sustained minor injuries and were assessed by paramedics at the scene.

 

[onetrack]

He reckons it only cost him $15K - but it looks like it's got a Jab engine powering it - so unless he got a real cheap, high hour Jab, I'd have to opine his $15K excludes a lot of things he hasn't counted.

 

https://www.facebook.com/10NewsPer/videos/perth-pilot-creates-flying-boat-10-news-first/688389363012238/

 

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/347078

 

Edited October 21, 2023 by onetrack

[Marty_d]

9 minutes ago, onetrack said:

He reckons it only cost him $15K - but it looks like it's got a Jab engine powering it - so unless he got a real cheap, high hour Jab,

 

The voiceover said "Scrap aircraft engine" so it may well have been cheap.  Looking at what it's made of, there wouldn't be a massive material cost.  "Wings" being "bouncy castle material" over 2 lengths of ally tube.  Nice looking design, not sure how stable it'd be.

[bull]

2 hours ago, Marty_d said:

The voiceover said "Scrap aircraft engine" so it may well have been cheap.  Looking at what it's made of, there wouldn't be a massive material cost.  "Wings" being "bouncy castle material" over 2 lengths of ally tube.  Nice looking design, not sure how stable it'd be.

 

[bull]

3 hours ago, red750 said:

A homebuilt light aircraft, designed to fly at "2 metres above the water at 120 kph" has crashed in Lancelin Bay, WA.

 

Two people on the plane – the pilot and a passenger. Both sustained minor injuries and were assessed by paramedics at the scene.

 

 

[FlyBoy1960]

No rego ?   Looks to stall/porpoise when itgets too high out of ground effect.   A good effort

[onetrack]

No rego required, because it's classed as a boat. Don't know how he gets around the 8 knot limit on the Swan River, then?

 

A lot of responsibility on him to look out for, and avoid boats, while he's doing some substantial level of speed?

 

 

[BrendAn]

1 hour ago, FlyBoy1960 said:

No rego ?   Looks to stall/porpoise when itgets too high out of ground effect.   A good effort

that would be right seems its a ground effect aircraft.

[BrendAn]

55 minutes ago, onetrack said:

No rego required, because it's classed as a boat. Don't know how he gets around the 8 knot limit on the Swan River, then?

 

A lot of responsibility on him to look out for, and avoid boats, while he's doing some substantial level of speed?

 

 

should have marine rego unless he is doing sea trials.  that area where the river is wide i think the 8 knts doesn't apply. 

[turboplanner]

Boundary layer machines and hovercraft  have the same issues; the moment they lift off the ground/surface they are subject to weather, just like a boat or aircraft but with a lot less control than either. Hence by the time you see photos posted the craft is usually scrap.

Boundary layer machines have usually been designed to look like aircraft and at times claims have been made for fast river transport, but apart from being wrecked by being unable to cope with a crosswind etc. The cost is usually much greater and the timetable much slower than the bus service going along the side of the river.

[onetrack]

Quote

that area where the river is wide i think the 8 knts doesn't apply.

 

There's an 8 kt speed limit over the whole of Perth Water, apart from the high speed watersports area near South Perth and the Narrows Bridge.

 

https://www.rowingwa.asn.au/our-regattas/boat-rowing-safety/#:~:text=Changes to Swan %26 Canning Riverpark (as %40 August 2021)&text=an 8 knot speed limit,area near the Matagarup Bridge

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by onetrack

[facthunter]

Looks difficult in roll control. Only relies on the further effect of rudder. No thanks Too critical. with any gusts.  Nev

[BrendAn]

these were popular for a short time but never hear about them anymore

[spacesailor]

SO ?.

What is the maximum altitude ' before ' it becomes an ' air craft ' .

Some ' sensible ' " bureaucrat " Must know how high you can " legally " fast taxi or bunny-hop .

spacesailor

[facthunter]

  I would suggest when it's out of ground effect and in equilibrium. Disclaimer I'm not a bureaucrat. Risk to others and noise nuisance matters might have to be considered if you're doing it in a populous area as one would reasonably expect.  Nev

[onetrack]

I was always under the impression the instant a craft left the ground (or water) and became airborne, held aloft by air flowing over and under wings, it is classed as an "aircraft". This bloke seems to have convinced the bureaucrats otherwise.

[rgmwa]

To me it looks like a aircraft (flying boat) with a service ceiling of about 2 metres.

[sfGnome]

1 hour ago, onetrack said:

I was always under the impression the instant a craft left the ground (or water) and became airborne, held aloft by air flowing over and under wings, it is classed as an "aircraft". This bloke seems to have convinced the bureaucrats otherwise.

I was reading an article the other day about a ground effect vehicle (I’ll hesitate to call it either a plane or a boat) in the US that has umpteen zillion dollars in advance orders from various airlines for transport over water, and it is classified by the government as a boat. 

[Marty_d]

What about those racing yachts that leave the water with only the hydrofoil in?  By that logic to remain classified as a boat, all a WIG needs is to trail a short string that's always in contact with the water.

They could even put a lure on the end.

[onetrack]

Speed trolling for herring?   Did that with a mates speedboat off Dunsborough - and we caught a Salmon!!  LOL

[BrendAn]

22 minutes ago, sfGnome said:

I was reading an article the other day about a ground effect vehicle (I’ll hesitate to call it either a plane or a boat) in the US that has umpteen zillion dollars in advance orders from various airlines for transport over water, and it is classified by the government as a boat. 

There was one in Cairns that was going to production but that went quiet too.

[BrendAn]

 

[onetrack]

Notice how all these craft are shown operating over relatively smooth water? I wouldn't like to be on one that encountered reasonable-sized waves. Even flying boats are limited as regards wave height when landing or taking off.

[BrendAn]

29 minutes ago, onetrack said:

Notice how all these craft are shown operating over relatively smooth water? I wouldn't like to be on one that encountered reasonable-sized waves. Even flying boats are limited as regards wave height when landing or taking off.

I suppose if you consider that taking off and landing are the most dangerous phases of flight these things are in that space for the whole flight.  Imagine hitting a breaching whale at 100 knots. 😁

Edited October 22, 2023 by BrendAn

[spacesailor]

The 'Devil-cat ' from Melbourne to Tassie had a weather problem,  if to rough or dangerous it had to do the trip ' WITHOUT PASSENGERS ' 

Bureaucratic red tape for their licence .

spacesailor