Scrappy’s Landing Gear Wings - Yay or Nay?

[pictsidhe]

I'm a grumpy old curmudgeon along with Pops and Crusty. Draco was not my kind of plane. BUT, it was a home built or at least modded airplane that was reasonably executed and brought our hobby favourable publicity.

FWIW, I don't like those gear wings either.

 

[TFF]

Watching Draco fly against all the STOL Cubs made them look like a 12 year old’s toy. It took off like an RC airplane.

The man is board and has means. He builds with the enthusiasm of a 12 year old. I don’t watch much but I do like to see the outcome. I would have liked to see his Lancair in action first hand.

 

[narfi]

Sorry, I can't take his videos. All I can think about is a 14 year old on a sugar high with ADD.

This is pretty much my opinion of all of youtube..... and I am young by this forums 'standards'.

To be fair though, I do appreciate having access to as much information as possible even if I have to sort through it. Many projects out there are done and completed, then flown a lifetime or wrecked first flight, or anywhere in between without any of the sugar driven self promoting, but there is nothing for me to learn from them better or worse (You can learn from both), I have watched ~5 minutes of 2 of his videos, but I can always go and look if I am curious about a certain aspect now or later. I appreciate that ability. The same goes for both the Peters projects discussed here, and any of a multitude of other detailed build blogs where builders ranging from experts to novices, from genius to idiots, and any combination of the four detail their journeys and work and decision making processes as well as the results.

I do prefer primarily written and pictures supplemented with video though and today's trends are towards video only which is unfortunate.

 

[rbarnes]

Wether you can stand watching his videos or not you have to admit there is a standard of excellence in craftsmanship that we would all do well to emulate. Not to mention they're is a gold mine of little nuggets of info that have helped me a lot in my current project.

The speed with which he can bust out a one off moldless custom composite part floors me. He fabricates a part in 12 hrs that I would spend 12 weeks making.

 

[Sockmonkey]

Maybe if they were meant as control surfaces instead? Or if they were symmetrical with neutral pitch so they would only start making lift when the fuselage was at positive AOA for landing?

 

[Will Aldridge]

In the last video he said that he would explain his full reasoning in an upcoming video. I get the impression that he's more interested in adding a little lift to slow his landing speed than ultra drag reduction. But obviously we'll have to wait for him to give his reasoning.

I'm sure one of the reasons he manages to get so much done is he doesn't hang out on online forums very much.

 

[Pilot-34]

Yes that one. I wondered why they weren’t meant to add lift only at high angle so attack.
The other thing that bothered me is with two identical surfaces to work with he chose to just do something with the top one it seems like something could’ve been built to do much the same thing But with an upper and lower half that would’ve been no reason for the 2 half’s to be more than minimally separated so they could’ve worked as one unit.

 

[TarDevil]

I give Mike full credit for being the "frontman" in all the videos, and having the vision and means to execute and complete his various projects. But I can't help but wonder why he continues to imply that he is a one man band.
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that its beyond one person to actually design, draw, fabricate, build, assemble and create all the videos by himself in the timespan the airplanes are built in. There are just not enough hours in a day.
Mike would likely have help with the mold making, CAD work, video filming and editing, etc.
I would enjoy the videos far more if Mike featured the others involved, and gave credit for their participation.
Perhaps as he pays all the bills he wants all the credit?

Have you watched the videos?

 

[TarDevil]

I'm sure one of the reasons he manages to get so much done is he doesn't hang out on online forums very much.

He requires very little sleep... Something like 4 hours a day. He has frequently worked till sunrise, took a shower and went to the office.

 

[Shorttimer]

At 73, and a composite manufacturer back in the mid 70s, I applaud everything he does, whether it works or not. This is what experimental is. He has an immense amount of talent, enthusiasm and skill and is also been a very hard worker his whole life. (maybe the Nay Sayers should watch his videos first) Luckily he has been successful enough to afford to live his dream. If anyone watched his videos, you'd see that he does his own design, CAD, machining, etc, that would be the sum of many peoples talent, with tireless enthusiasm.
What did you do on your project today?
My hat's off to him.

 

[Pops]

How many workers does he have helping him? With unlimited money to buy the latest tools, helps a lot. Yes , a lot is done. What is the truth in how much he does as one person? He does have some good ideas. Liked the way he make the aluminum molds for the fuselage CF skins.
I just can't get over him acting like a immature 14 year old kid. I have never seen a grown man act so immature. I have to turn it off after about 30 seconds.
Does he act so immature off camera?

 

[jake2465]

One thing that may be somewhat of an issue is that those landing gear legs may have enough surface area on them to begin acting like wings of their own. If so, then that is a heck of a lot of negative dihedral. Perhaps some kind of unwanted roll tendencies may arise from that in certain flight configurations/situations. That's all I got .

 

[TarDevil]

I guess I have a different perspective on "immature."
He thinks through a design process in ways few people can't even imagine. I don't know of any incidents due to mechanical failure. Safety is a priority (his very poor judgement at Reno notwithstanding and he readily accepts his error). He does, indeed, do his own work... the only time I've seen anyone else add labor to his projects was covering tail surfaces on Scrappy. He did all the design and construction of that fire-breathing Draco. He drastically modified a PT-6 powered Lancair... and did all the work. And for all his business success he is 100% approachable.
His enthusiasm erupts from every pore of his body. Is that bad? If excitement = immaturity, I'd love to be a lot less mature. My wife is happiest when I get boyishly enthused/excited about something (almost always a boat or airplane), and I most value her pleasure.
I don't understand, Pops. Always loved ALL your contributions here, but I wish I understood how you think he's so immature.

 

[Pops]

I'm not talking about is work or craftsmanship, its first class. Just the way he presents himself in the videos. I just haven't been around anyone like that in real life, so to me its overboard and phony. I could be wrong, but I can't take it. If other people likes it, so be it. I'll just watch something else.

 

[BBerson]

I can see why he has done it but its horrible, i

Right. Violates every rule of aviation, I think.

 

[Will Aldridge]

I'm not talking about is work or craftsmanship, its first class. Just the way he presents himself in the videos. I just haven't been around anyone like that in real life, so to me its overboard and phony. I could be wrong, but I can't take it. If other people likes it, so be it. I'll just watch something else.

I've met him once in real life and talked to him for about a minute. Hardly enough to get a true feel for the guy, and if what we see on the videos is really him.
I did have a college chemistry professor once who must have been in his 70's who got similarly excited when he got a delivery of something or other, so there are grown men who do get excited about the things that excite them. I went back and watched a little from his earliest posted videos before he really "blew up" and it seems like he acts the same.

I can sympathize if it rubs you wrong. There are people that I can't stand and there's no logical reason I can give.

 

[Pops]

I do have a logical reason. All of my life I was taught to be in control of my emotions at all times. When you are emotional you are not thinking, just reacting.
My training started at 8 years old in boxing and street fighting and the use of weapons. If you can get your opponent emotional, you have won the fight. They will start making mistakes because of not thinking and you can easily take advantage of those mistakes. I know, I grew up far different than most of you.
If you were in an aircraft with a serious emergency would you want the pilot that has been trained to be in control of his emotions or one that is not. I know which one I would pick.

 

[Will Aldridge]

Well you do have a point there and I envy certain portions of your education. Is Mike Pateys control over his emotions inadequate just because he shows his exuberance? It could probably be argued either way.

 

[TarDevil]

If you were in an aircraft with a serious emergency would you want the pilot that has been trained to be in control of his emotions or one that is not. I know which one I would pick.

You are absolutely correct. Don't know about you but I ain't the same dude in a plane and I've had the hair-raisers as proof.

 

[TFF]

He might be chocolate to your vanilla but I don’t think he is out of control. He wrecks his plane on video and is cool enough to talk about it right after. He seemed pretty humble and thankful.
He is a YouTuber. That is how you make money on YouTube. It’s like QVC. At least it’s airplanes. You can come over and watch what my daughters are watching.