BEHOLD! THE MINI PLANE!

"Joe_Limon" (Joe_Limon)
07/14/2014 at 16:20 • Filed to: None

The other day I asked myself... "Hey, I wonder what the absolute minimalist airplane would look like (before going full winged suit)? Then I started on some hand sketches, here is a conceptual render. Steering is done through a combination of aileron controls in the cockpit, and elevator/rudder controls via leg wing suit!

DISCUSSION (22)

HammerheadFistpunch > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 16:22

not bad for something with a built in restroom.

Chris Clarke > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 16:23

Reminds me of this.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 16:34

This is the worlds smallest jet. it was used in a James Bond movie...i forget wheich one, but it was one with Roger Moore, I think...I've actually sat in it...So, so tiny.

Kinja'd!!!

f86sabre > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 16:35

Why 4 engines? You could do with 1 or two. I'd go with skids as opposed to wheels. Keep your fuel inboard in the fairing to keep the inertia down and to allow for smaller flight controls. Just my $0.02.

Joe_Limon > f86sabre
07/14/2014 at 16:58

Why 4? Because this guy used 4, and if I were to do it, I would try and source the same engines.

Kinja'd!!!

Also, skids... for snow landings?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
07/14/2014 at 17:14

Bede BD-5.

Bandit > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
07/14/2014 at 17:33

Octopussy

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Bandit
07/14/2014 at 17:35

???

Kinja'd!!!

Bandit > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
07/14/2014 at 17:36

Haha, that was the name of the bond film

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Bandit
07/14/2014 at 17:46

I know. just having some out of context fun.

f86sabre > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 18:01

fair enough. I was just following you hypothetical line of thought and looking for the absolute bare minimum. I'd launch from a rail similar to what the Wrights did, and has been used here and there since, and land in grass with the skids.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 18:38

For the motorcycle-equivalent aircraft... one where the pilot is exposed, rather than enclosed, I think I would probably go with the Tron Legacy Light-Jet concept.

It is fiction, but I wonder if it would be at all possible... It might be dangerous... but what isn't? Who wants to live forever, anyway?

Kinja'd!!!

With composites, and ultra-light style construction techniques... a small rotary engine, or a micro-turbine as a power plant... modern digital avionics, and a helmet-integrated HUD... but mainly just simple, direct, stable flight performance... maybe just a bit more aero fairing in front of the pilot to lessen frontal drag and buffeting.

getting out of the aircraft might even be easier than an enclosed experimental-class aircraft, with a parachute on your back already, and maybe some sort of lever action ejection mechanism to separate the pilot from the aircraft... as long as there is enough altitude for the chute to deploy, it might save you... otherwise for low-altitude bail-out... maybe a big hollow sphere airbag-cocoon like james bond had in his skiing jacket... some new motorcycle jackets have airbags already...

bubblestheturtle > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 19:35

My toes would scrape on landing. No sale.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 20:10

You're going to need one of these, unless you like spinning wildly out of control unable to right yourself.

Jayhawk Jake > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 20:42

Hi. My name is directional stability. I'm kind of important

Kinja'd!!!

Joe_Limon > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/14/2014 at 21:22

nope, twist your torso as needed to rotate the leg fabric elevators into a rudder.

Joe_Limon > Jayhawk Jake
07/14/2014 at 21:24

rotate your torso and your legs will act as a rudder... Kind of like how birds don't have vertical stabilizers.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 21:27

I feel like that wouldn't be as stable as it needs to be, your legs move about so the stabilizers are never in the same position relative to the body of the plane. The planes handling characteristics are going to be changing constantly.

Joe_Limon > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/14/2014 at 21:42

I figure it will be like riding a bike difficult to comprehend, easy in practice. I figure the wind sweeping past your legs will provide pressure keeping them straight, and movements will be intuitive force based turning rather than positional.

tromoly > Joe_Limon
07/14/2014 at 23:37

Not enough lift will be the problem, I imagine.

Here's the smallest plane ever flown by an onboard human.

RedR58 > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
07/15/2014 at 03:53