Hovercraft Design and Theory - Excercise 1

[tom kane]

The image of V22 Osprey shows what can be done with tilting rotors,although Hovcopt would employ a different method of tilting the rotors which gives more control over un-equal lift.The usual method is to tilt the rotor head only.

[kach22i]

Low flying aircraft face special hazards and the safety record of the Osprey reflects this. I really like the idea of the Osprey............it's concept seems so much simpler than comparible VOTL craft and helicopters/gyrocopters..

I don't know if it's true but there is a WWII legend of a P-47 Thunderbolt hitting a telephone pole (and or wires) which took four feet off one of it's wings. They say the plane flew safely back to base and landed without incident.

Too bad there is not a plane/helicopter without external moving parts that can pass through obstacles/trees without coming apart in a million pieces. A kind of a "tank of the sky" - oh and it would have to float.

[tom kane]

Originally Posted by Skippy

On the helo, I would worry about the relatively wide top surface of the vehicle taking a lot of the pressure. As kach says, the WIG would use area to the side & so not interfere with the center.

The old aircraft had big radial engines and the old circut racers of the 30`s and 40`s had big engine cowls and the props barely protuded past the cowls and were prett fast,and also such planes as the WW2 Corsair.The design ilustrated is not intended as a production design but is a graphic representation of a basic plan.

[DocScience]

Did anything ever get built to test this Hovercopter idea ?

[kach22i]

Not that I know of, but it is inserted into more than just one thread in the forum. You may wish to do a "Search".

[yipster]

maybe there is some space in between a helicopter, hovercraft, a hovercraft WIG and what have we
for a fanwing http://www.gizmag.com/d-dalus-uav-de...m_medium=email
also discussed here Heliferry Concept - innovative boat design

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by yipster

maybe there is some space in between a helicopter, hovercraft, a hovercraft WIG and what have we
for a fanwing http://www.gizmag.com/d-dalus-uav-de...m_medium=email
also discussed here Heliferry Concept - innovative boat design

The D-Dalus is also so simple mechanically that it needs little maintenance and requires no more maintenance expertise than an auto mechanic. It should be noted that all VTOL aircraft capable of carrying large payloads are complex and very costly to maintain.

That's a reaching statement if ever I've read one.

Interesting approach though.