I am always looking for elegant ways to make light aircraft easier to build in a small workshop and/or hangar in a small space, such as using a 20’ ISO shipping container for both. One possibility, already discussed, is an Al Backstrom-style 18’ span plank flying wing that fits in the container sideways, perhaps with a side-folding rudder. Since even a perfect plank flying wing has a narrow CG range and likely pitch damping issues, here’s an alternative.
How about a pod-and-boom design, still kept at 18’ span and 7’ from spinner to pod/wing trailing edge to fit in the container sideways, but with twin booms hinged to fold upwards at approximately the main wing rear spar? Conventional control cables could be arranged to slacken as the tail folds or replaced with push-pull cables with the slack built in. Overall length would only be about 14-15', but with twin vertical surfaces and no span constraint on the horizontal surface that should still be just fine. The tail could be in any number of configurations: low-/mid-/high-mounted horizontal stab, inverted-V, etc.
Hinges, fittings and pins would be massively over-strong and folding could be as simple as pulling two tethered or captured (and double-safetied) pins and lifting the tail. Unlike wing folding, the tail weight would be a smaller percentage of gross with no tendency to cause the plane to sit on its tail when folded. Rubber bumpers would keep the hinges slightly open without the pin in place with contact switches to sound an alarm if the pins are not in place.
There haven’t been many examples of twin boom aircraft with single tractor engines, but one that comes to mind is an incarnation of the Northrop Experimental #1, precursor to the Northrop flying wings. Plus, I have always liked the lines of the little SIPA S.200 Minijet, so imagine a mash-up of the two with a tractor prop and booms that hinge upwards and you’ll get an idea of what I have in mind.
Feedback welcome, I’ve got my flameproof undies on.
Cheers,
Matthew
How about a pod-and-boom design, still kept at 18’ span and 7’ from spinner to pod/wing trailing edge to fit in the container sideways, but with twin booms hinged to fold upwards at approximately the main wing rear spar? Conventional control cables could be arranged to slacken as the tail folds or replaced with push-pull cables with the slack built in. Overall length would only be about 14-15', but with twin vertical surfaces and no span constraint on the horizontal surface that should still be just fine. The tail could be in any number of configurations: low-/mid-/high-mounted horizontal stab, inverted-V, etc.
Hinges, fittings and pins would be massively over-strong and folding could be as simple as pulling two tethered or captured (and double-safetied) pins and lifting the tail. Unlike wing folding, the tail weight would be a smaller percentage of gross with no tendency to cause the plane to sit on its tail when folded. Rubber bumpers would keep the hinges slightly open without the pin in place with contact switches to sound an alarm if the pins are not in place.
There haven’t been many examples of twin boom aircraft with single tractor engines, but one that comes to mind is an incarnation of the Northrop Experimental #1, precursor to the Northrop flying wings. Plus, I have always liked the lines of the little SIPA S.200 Minijet, so imagine a mash-up of the two with a tractor prop and booms that hinge upwards and you’ll get an idea of what I have in mind.
Feedback welcome, I’ve got my flameproof undies on.
Cheers,
Matthew
Last edited:
