Locally I have not seen much about the Sport Pilot Licensing effort,
has it had an effect in your area?

I had hoped years ago when the plan first surfaced it would bring in a
new era in Aviation in America.  Perhaps it will never hit its mark
without the weight of the aircraft allowing use of engines from the
automobile market?


Lets face it a significant cost to each aircraft is the engine.

I know that my goal of designing and building a V/STOL aircraft
for private use is not going to fit in the Sport Pilot weight class, and it
sure would add safety to any flight plan...

So whats the chance of pushing that weight class further along?

With the advent of modern computer systems each would be pilot can
receive aid in flight rules, navigation, flight planning, have available in
flight warning systems, flight control aids, and practice on flight
simulators for that particular day's flight plan, this allows any pilot to
master VFR hops with 20 hours of certified flight instruction and a valid
drivers license...

I sure look forward to the day...

 GFCurtis Jr.
 Is there any internet links to you can provide so we can see your S/VTOL
concept Mr Curtis.

Sammy



Sammy

I am working on a United States Patent Application so what I can reveal is
limited, but lets explore what is public knowledge by other inventors.

My V/STOL invention is based upon proven science from various tested X-Plane
Aircraft in Full Scale Programs by major Aeronautic Companies.  The
invention can produce just a lift component, and/or flight control in VTOL
and STOL, then converting to Conventional Flight Control in normal flight.
Although I can not show how it is done, but I can give you its fundamental
application in existing VTOL flight systems, namely Helicopter and Autogyro
VTOL methods.  In addition the need for thrust provided by TurboFan Engines
is mostly cost prohibitive to civil aviation use, but could be used in
commercial application.

What I envision for civil aviation is based upon a hybrid aircraft commonly
referred to as Compound Helicopter, Compound Airplane, or Slowed Rotor
Aircraft, examples listed below.

Piasecki Aircraft is working with Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller (VTDP) in
which a helicopter receives a wing, it functions to unload the lifting
duties of the Rotor in high speed fight allowing greater speed from the
helicopter, and reduced work load on the Rotor as it is slowed in high speed
flight.

http://www.piasecki.com/x49a.php

Carter Aviation approaches this in a different way, they use the same
unloading of the Rotor as the wing takes over lift component of flight at
high speeds along with a Slowed Rotor, but use a pre-rotor spin-up to
provide the VTOL lift at take-off and land using the natural Auto
Rotation of a Autogyro VTOL.

http://www.cartercopters.com/highlight_video.html

My invention is limited in this civilian version in that it uses less
flight/lift modules, but provides significantly increased lift to each of
these helicopter and autogyro concepts.  My modules would be arranged along
the wings of either the Piasecki Aircraft, or the Carter Aviation Aircraft.


For example the UH-60 used in Piasecki testing normally produces 22,000 lbs.
of lift.  Adding a TurboFan to produce 10,000 lbf thrust, then using my
modules would produce an additional 20,000 to 30,000 lift to the X-49A, thus
combined with Rotor Lift and my modules 42,000 to 52,000 lbs.  Once the
aircraft is out of VTOL or STOL operation each module would become a normal
functioning component of the wing in conventional flight mode.

More in line with civil aviation use a Slowed Rotor Carter Aviation version
with my lift/flight control modules could add 3,000 to 12,000 lbs. lift
dependant upon lift module configuration & installation weight of 1,500 to
4,000 lbs. over the four performance spreadsheets given by Carter Aviation
below:

http://www.cartercopters.com/pav_11g.html

Hope this helped you understand the basic concept, I like the use of these
METAWing modules in conjunction with a Rotor, since it adds dual redundancy
lift and flight control to the power-out auto rotational safety aspect of a
Compound Heli/Autogyro/Plane and my METAWing flight...

GFCurtis Jr.

PS - I think with full scale testing a civil aviation version of a METAWing
Carter Aviation Slowed Rotor can be made to thermal given the right wing
aspect ratio, light weight construction, and use of new electrical
power/battery applications can be incorporated, imagine hours of free flight
and land in your backyard, or with complete safety in auto rotation...