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speed of Lite

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litespeed

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 21, 2008
Messages
1,609
Location
Sydney
Hi Guys,

greetings from Australia
I have long been an admirer of the site and now I have jumped in to open the adventure.

My plan is to enventualy build a AR5 replica using Carbon sandwich airframe and full

>
> Hoping you can all help me as I have been reading the forum for a while just
absorbing all the ideas and mud map designing my ultimate plane, I would
like to build a replica 'ish of the Mike Arnold AR5. I would love to be
able to brainstorm with you guys but alas, as yet no ability to get in
amongst the ideas and fun.:nervous:
>
> Just imagine a AR5 built in Carbon, a 102hp Simmonini two stroke instead
of 65hp Rotax @ similar revs and similar weight, with all the benefits
of the 20 years in design and much improved affordability of carbon.
Airframe vacuum bagged, VNE 250 knts, cruise of 175knts and Vmax of
215. These are just mud figures but we are talking a airframe that has
extremely low drag and very low weight- 660lbs or 300kg mtow. Now
that's approx 6.6lbs per horse, should climb like the little fighter it
is. Following all the best aero techniques of Arnold and others and the
help of a good aero brain's trust (that means you guys) a world speed
record could be in the offing- same as AR5 but bit lighter, stronger and
about 40% more power.
>
> All the above is proven and well developed but just optimising the AR5
to meet current materials capabilities of carbon filament and rod and
cost realities which given the airframe size is quite reasonable approx
$7000 for home built airframe. Stressed for normal aerobatic's, it would
be a great fun and cheapish homebuilt fighter, with approx flying cost
of $20-25,000 and that's a glass cockpit version at the higher end.
Build is designed around Arnolds version of wire cut moldless foam
composite for ease and combined with vacuum bagging or resin infusion.
The G loads would be purposely overdesigned and the surfaces all
balanced both statically and aerodynamicaly, this is not for unlimited
aero but to suit the needs of the ultimate little fighter and potential
speeds- flutter at 240mph is not good!:speechles
>
>
> Wing would include ailerons, and flaps that include the under body as
per AR5, As I need a 45 knt stall for the Aussie regs. Wing profile is
laminar flow and ultra smooth. current FAI record is about 218mph -a
BD5 lightweight and Mike held the record before that at 213mph on 65hp,
an improved version should be able with 102hp, to beat the current
record by a reasonable amount to maybe 235 this seems reasonable given
the extra 37hp, but it may even do better, been able to do 240mph on
102hp is entirely doable given the speeds of formula one but this
would have considerably less weight and a lot less drag, from a much
smaller frontal area and a engine of only 115lbs not 240plus. the
aircraft will be 300kg or 660lbs Mtow, that's lighter than his ultra
fast F1 racer the AR6 -240mph, without a pilot or fuel and it would be
very slippery as the two stroke is very small profile compared to the
fat contnental, that's the weight for records but the normal cruising
but still basic aero would be up to 720lbs to allow for good range-gotta
follow the bombers and be a high-speed dive away to strike marauders!
Hahah! The AR5 can easily turn on the inside of a midget mustang, but
is a pussy cat to land on comparison due to its wide stance for the
gear. I am only a relative light bugger @160 lbs so getting the weight
below 660lbs mtow should be easy as Mike did it at a far bit less for
his records.
>
> But that is enough to whet your appetite! I know that's a hell of a lot
for a intro letter but I needed to download to some-one who gave a ****
or could listen to the wramblings of the mind.
>
>
> yours in aero madness
> litespeed
I thought this would get the creative juices going for those with a penchant for speed
 
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