> Everybody check out http://www.rotaryeng.net/PAV.html
>
> and please tell me what you think.
>
> --
> Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
Dear Mr. Lamar:
Your point is very well made.
It just needs a little judicious editing for spelling mistakes and the
like. :-)
Did you notice how NASA called it "CAFE" after the "Corporate Average
Fuel Economy" burden under which the automobile industry must work? Do
you think NASA is trying to sanctify their boondoggle by naming it after
another? I got my 30 mpg car because I wanted to have good fuel
economy. I sold my 80+ mpg car regardless what the automotive CAFE
said. I did not have to have a government agency dictate to me what I
"need" or do not "need."
I will call my representatives in DC and tell them to axe this turkey.
Les Nordman
CAFE Foundation is a group that NASA is working with,
http://www.cafefoundation.org/v2/pav_enablingtech_ngat.php
I think they are trying to emulate the X-Prize.
Very good write-up Paul. Actually my ducted fan experience is worse than
you write. Best speed with the ducted fan was 135 knots at 5400 engine
RPM. With the gearbox and prop I am now doing 165 knots at 6400 RPM,
since I can turn the engine up a little more.
I suppose ducted fans can be quiet, but mine was very noisy. There were
many complaints. A friend heard me fly over when I was 12,000 feet over
his house on a cross-country. With the prop and the very same engine
install, no one hears me anymore. No more complaints. People say it
sounds like any other airplane. Maybe I was pushing the tip speeds but
that was an attempt to make it as large as possible, that was still only
38 inches in diameter.
Perry
Thanks Perry. I'll add this testimonial if you don't mind.
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
Paul,
From the discussion I have had with the pilots that flew the contest
aircraft, none of them though what showed up is what anyone is looking for.
I would guess the rules may get redone based on what showed up for the first
round. If you read the rules, they are very vague and don't clearly define
the goals. You could win this by adding mufflers, airbags and a ballistic
recovery parachute to a Stearman. If you read the rules, some areas carry
too much weight, and other important areas carry little weight. I would keep
your ears open, as I believe the ground rules will change.....
And just to set the record strait... the CAFÉ foundation was not created for
this, but has been around many years as an aerodynamic think tank. Many ways
of calculating and measuring aerodynamic performance have originated out of
this group. They have performed many studies and evaluations over the years
and all their data is available to anyone who asks. Many of their projects
are published on their web site (see the "research and publications" section
of their web site). Even without this contest, the CAFÉ foundation has
contributed to the experimental aircraft community, even if you don't agree
with some of their views. The ducted fan picture is only an illustration,
and the contest is open to anyone who thinks they have a better aircraft.
As this contest unfolds over the next 4 years, who knows what we will see
arriving to compete. It is intended to get creative thinkers working on it,
and personally, I would like to see someone like Burt Rutan take up the
challenge and walk away with the prize money, as it would benefit all of us.
Larry
Yes Brien Seeley mentioned he was going to change the rules.
Kind of hard to prepare when you don't know the rules.
The contest is meaningless if four people can show up with stock airplanes
and take our tax money. Show with up a C172 and walk away with $25,000 of
our tax money :)
Beats the heck out of a $100 hamburger. This is a real farce. The whole
program
ought to be scrapped. These people are laughing all the way to the bank :)
I can't believe NASA and CAFE are this stupid.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Vantage Prize, $100,000: Vance Turner of Rescue, Calif., owner
of a short-wing Pipistrel piloted by Michael Coates -
Noise Prize, $50,000: Dave and Diane Anders of Visalia, Calif., owners and
pilots
of an RV-4 aircraft -
Handling Qualities Prize, $25,000: John Rehn of Santa Rosa, Calif., owner of
a Cessna
172, piloted by Jeff Stocks -
CAFE Efficiency Prize, $25,000: Vance Turner - Short
Runway Prize, $25,000: Vance Turner -
Top Speed, First Prize, $15,000: Dave and Diane Anders -
Top Speed, Second Prize, $10,000: Vance Turner
Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
Paul,
The problem, is no one showed up with anything better.... and the rules
didn't prohibit production aircraft. All it takes is a group to put their
heads together and build a better mouse trap. For one thing, the time table
is too short in the first year to get anyone to design, let alone build a
"dream machine" around the specs to win. The format should more closely
follow the x prize with a set of specifications designed, with the first to
meet all the specs getting the prize. Give it a 5 year ending date and see
what transpires....
Larry
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