Bearcat F8F
Well-Known Member
Hi guys, looks like an awesome forum you have here.
I am in my final year of Aeronautical Engineering at University. My final year project is a conceptual design.
I propose to build a glider which can quite easily be converted into a ULJ (Ultra-light Jet). I plan on using 1 jet engine for simplicity. The fuselage of the aircraft (and hopefully the tailplane) will remain the same for both the glider and the jet variant (once converted).
The jet will use an engine module which will be attached to the fuselage, and a replacement wing for high-speed flight. Below is a sketch of what I am thinking. This is just the initial idea - the final product may look very different. I am open to suggestions on how to better lay everything out.
So now is my main question:
Originally I was planning on the glider-variant being an Open class or an 18m class glider. However, due to the fact that the wing attachement points will have to be the same for both aircraft (I hope. The short section of the wing close to the fuselage), there might be a compromise in the performance of a glider that is intended to be used for competitions.
I am trying to decide if it's better to take on the challenge of designing an aerobatic glider instead? I had a look at the MDM-1 Fox glider, and it's proportions and thicker fuselage could be much much more suited for something like a jet (once converted). I am unsure whether it would (in the real world) make more sense to design an aerobatic glider as opposed to a an Open Class or 18m or even 15m class glider. Is there any demand for such a new aerobatic glider?
The stronger fuselage of an aerobatic glider could also be of much more use when it comes to G loads produced by a jet when the aircraft is converted.
What do you think? Any info would be useful. I seem to find plenty of info on normal gliders, but very little on aerobatic gliders. If you have any suggestions with regards to the actual design, please also feel free to add.
Thanks
I am in my final year of Aeronautical Engineering at University. My final year project is a conceptual design.
I propose to build a glider which can quite easily be converted into a ULJ (Ultra-light Jet). I plan on using 1 jet engine for simplicity. The fuselage of the aircraft (and hopefully the tailplane) will remain the same for both the glider and the jet variant (once converted).
The jet will use an engine module which will be attached to the fuselage, and a replacement wing for high-speed flight. Below is a sketch of what I am thinking. This is just the initial idea - the final product may look very different. I am open to suggestions on how to better lay everything out.
So now is my main question:
Originally I was planning on the glider-variant being an Open class or an 18m class glider. However, due to the fact that the wing attachement points will have to be the same for both aircraft (I hope. The short section of the wing close to the fuselage), there might be a compromise in the performance of a glider that is intended to be used for competitions.
I am trying to decide if it's better to take on the challenge of designing an aerobatic glider instead? I had a look at the MDM-1 Fox glider, and it's proportions and thicker fuselage could be much much more suited for something like a jet (once converted). I am unsure whether it would (in the real world) make more sense to design an aerobatic glider as opposed to a an Open Class or 18m or even 15m class glider. Is there any demand for such a new aerobatic glider?
The stronger fuselage of an aerobatic glider could also be of much more use when it comes to G loads produced by a jet when the aircraft is converted.
What do you think? Any info would be useful. I seem to find plenty of info on normal gliders, but very little on aerobatic gliders. If you have any suggestions with regards to the actual design, please also feel free to add.
Thanks
