Piloot
Active Member
Hello! Recently I have been interested in reading about aircraft with incredibly low power requirements. From light wing loading, to huge wing spans, or human power and engine power! I think, because of how much engines cost, affordable flight would be a single seat, low horsepower flying machine. I am thinking of something with less than 8 hp, practical flight is hard, but just getting off the group may be possible.
I had a few ideas with this topic for a few design choices.
An English Electric Wren was able to sustain flight on 3 hp, but needed an assisted launch, but could attain flight on it's own with a 7.5 hp motor. It had a big fuselage shaped like an airfoil, and the wings thinned out as they went, but the wingspan was around 37-40 feet. This aircraft is ultralight.
I was thinking if there would be a low power design based on the Wren, it would use insulation foam for fuselage or wing ribs.(Like Skypup)
The next design is a Skycraft Scout lookalike. A monoplane with thin aluminum ribs(what is the specific name for these?) covered in sailcloth, but a simple A Frame like pilot cage with a beam or tube serving as the connection point for the A Frame, Wings, Tail Surfaces, and tail skid/wheel. The original Skycraft Scout used exactly 8 HP aswell.
Finally, this one was sort of tried, but with 12 Horsepower. A biplane low wing loading boxkite pusher akin to the Whing Ding. I was thinking of a wood and foam fuselage with foam ribs and a ladder-like spar structure.
Give any inputs, for a better design choice, or how marginal marginal performance will be with such little power, or maybe considering a blimp type machine, or how rolling the airplane down a steep hill would work.
Have fun!
I had a few ideas with this topic for a few design choices.
An English Electric Wren was able to sustain flight on 3 hp, but needed an assisted launch, but could attain flight on it's own with a 7.5 hp motor. It had a big fuselage shaped like an airfoil, and the wings thinned out as they went, but the wingspan was around 37-40 feet. This aircraft is ultralight.
I was thinking if there would be a low power design based on the Wren, it would use insulation foam for fuselage or wing ribs.(Like Skypup)
The next design is a Skycraft Scout lookalike. A monoplane with thin aluminum ribs(what is the specific name for these?) covered in sailcloth, but a simple A Frame like pilot cage with a beam or tube serving as the connection point for the A Frame, Wings, Tail Surfaces, and tail skid/wheel. The original Skycraft Scout used exactly 8 HP aswell.
Finally, this one was sort of tried, but with 12 Horsepower. A biplane low wing loading boxkite pusher akin to the Whing Ding. I was thinking of a wood and foam fuselage with foam ribs and a ladder-like spar structure.
Give any inputs, for a better design choice, or how marginal marginal performance will be with such little power, or maybe considering a blimp type machine, or how rolling the airplane down a steep hill would work.
Have fun!
