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The Learning curve Gone Circle (Orion, please be gentle)

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Voyeurger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2010
Messages
611
Location
Northern Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
OK. Here's the deal. Started out here in the group intending to add wings to a hovercraft to do ground effect flying. Cooler (smarter) heads convinced me the regimen was fraught with dangers to body and wallet. Went gaa-gaa over the Bearhawk (the plane IS fantastic by any measure), bought plans, several thousand dollars worth of aluminum and started banging out ribs. THEN, I started forming the 270 or so rib stiffener angles. After I knocked those out, and about halfway through attaching them to the ribs, it occurred to me that this business of grinding out work that someone ELSE had designed was in fact, work. As in factory line type work. The future became bleak. Lost the wind in my sails. Started hanging out with my wife who was delighted but suspicious. I have just discovered that it's the chance to build something unique, with a definite mission profile, and that might (probably will) succeed as intended, is what drives and delights me. I discovered this when I took the Bearhawk main spar sections I'd set aside and turned them into the main structural elements of my new flying boat project. To wit....

To build a small, sleek, flat bottomed trimaran (or outrigger) boat that can lift off the water's surface, and maintain steady level flight at an elevation equal to the length of the drivetrain on the outboard motor which will propel the first iteration. Drag reduction (water) will be enhanced by spring powered lever arms putting constant downward pressure on each of the pontoons serving to 1) get the boat up on plane very quickly and 2) lifting the main hull out of the water entirely at speed. The pontoons' collective wetted area equals that of the main hull, at less than 10% of the main hull weight. The entire flight regimen depends on glass flat lake water and still air for this attempt.

Construction: The aluminum structure of the boat is almost complete. I have configured the underside to allow the mechanical adhesion of foam/carbon fiber/epoxy resin matrix to the aluminum hull. I intend to turn the boat upside down and use the underside to build up a male plug for a clean hull mold conforming to the predetermined attachment points.
LOA: 10 feet
Main hull beam: 24"
Overal Beam: 84"
Power: 35 HP Johnson Evinrude Outboard Engine

The above is certain as I've built/acquired to this point as described above. So, once the CG, pontoon strut suspensions, buoyancy/flotation requirements are ironed out and implemented, I should have one very tiny, very fast boat. Now, about the wing. In watching the flight of pelicans (traveling, not hunting) in ground effect, I notice huge drooped wings with a slight dihedral to mid-span. To gain similar properties for my "minnow" I would like to combine a very high A/R wing of carbon fiber (think helicopter wing or blade) with a dacron "V" supported in part by CF rods in stitched pockets or somesuch. The main "hard" wing will have struts (aluminum tube) which tie into the pontoon suspension much like high wing planes' struts often tie into the landing gear hardware supports. The wing will, at the roots, be approximately 40 inches off the water. I am attaching photos of where I've got to so far and at this point would very much like to hear your thoughts on wing planform design. I'm not worried (yet) about NACA or reynolds numbers, or incidence or AOA (isn't AOA and incidence the same thing?). Once the bare boat is run through it's paces I'll have a much better idea of wing placement requirement particulars.

Any and all suggestions, thoughts, ideas will be much appreciated. (I pray no hilarity will ensue).
Gary (got to change that signature) SatterleeAirboat1.jpgAirboat2.jpgAirboat3.jpgAirboat4.jpgAirboat8.jpgAirboat9.jpg
 
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