Project: Airborne

[Tyndmyr]

In this thread, I will detail the plans and progress of my aircraft as I build it. From scratch.

More details coming soon, ask away.

[Thanqol]

*Crosses fingers, whispers "Death Zepplin" under his breath repeatedly*

[smuchmuch]

.... it's certainly a very unique craft project, I'll grant you that.

I have to ask myself, why ? Is it an engeneering chalenge, a childhood dream ?

[shawnhcorey]

What's its name? Do you have the plans yet?

[Tyndmyr]

It is...probably not a death zeppelin. Well, probably not a zeppelin anyway, we'll see about the death part.

This is being built for the Philly flugtag competition, in which you basically get a flying machine chucked off a ramp thirty feet above the ocean, and you see how far you make it before it slams into the water. Human powered only...though I admit I'm still checking on lighter than air craft, my primary plan is a biplane design.

I've ordered plans for an ultralight aircraft, from which I intend to use the wing designs, albeit modified notably to fit within tight space restrictions(hence why I've got biplane instead of mono wing...serious lift issues). the Chassis is basically going to be a bike frame stripped down, an aluminum cradle installed for the pilot to be prone in, head away from prop, and I'll likely rely on flexing wings for control.

I haven't tested props yet, but I suspect that I'll need to invest in some serious gearing to make one work efficiently. Fortunately, I've got a team of five people in total...I'm the engineer, got a 100 lb athletic girl for the pilot, a graphics design person to take care of other stuff, and a couple more to assist on the build. No name for it as of yet, but suggestions are always welcome!

But if lighter than air is ruled to be legal, death zeppelin is a very likely outcome. Of course, I'd need to find some ludicrous thing that should never, ever fly to build it as. An anvil, perhaps?

Edit: Hell, I'm just gonna build both. We'll fly whichever one is permitted at the event...and fly the other one for giggles at some other point.

[Zjoot]

A snail would be nice, I think.

[Fri]

If this is an opening of an rpg, about a bunch of misfits who's trying to design a fantasy flying machine, I'd totally favourited that rpg.

So as someone who's pretty much fetishize fictional stories about personal flying machines like this, I'd say this is a pretty cool project.

[AndToBeLoved]

Sounds like fun. But I would have just tied a bunch of balloons to a lawn chair...

[leakingpen]

we need videos of the build! you should make a youtube channell, record design sessions, building, testing, ect...

names.

The Critical Hit.
The critical miss.
Rolled a 1
Merit:Airborne
Dragonbait

[Tyndmyr]

The snail idea was well received by the graphic designer...we shall see what we end up going with.

I've gotten the plans, and now need to complete modifications and start grabbing necessary hardware. Lots of delicate aluminum forming to be done...

Recording some of the sexier parts might have to happen indeed.

[Sean Mirrsen]

The snail idea was well received by the graphic designer...we shall see what we end up going with.

I've gotten the plans, and now need to complete modifications and start grabbing necessary hardware. Lots of delicate aluminum forming to be done...

Recording some of the sexier parts might have to happen indeed.If you're going with a snail design, name it something like "Escar-gone". :smallsmile:

[Dark Elf Bard]

...

I want to be part of that competition.

[TuggyNE]

I found this by happenstance, wandering around in an unfamiliar side of the Playground, and am amused and more than a little intrigued. What progress of late?

[Tyndmyr]

The team has sadly broken apart due to personal, ahem, relational issues among a couple of the other team members...this probably sinks us as far as actually completing this goes, but as I have the plans, I do intend to work on it at some point...albeit probably not in the near future.

[smuchmuch]

The team has sadly broken apart due to personal, ahem, relational issues among a couple of the other team members...this probably sinks us as far as actually completing this goes

would you say it clipped your wings ?
*ba dum tish*

But seriously, it's a shame.
Just out of curiosity, will we get a photos of the plans later ?
(I'm not an engeneer nor do I know nothing about aeronautics, so it's really out of pure curiosity just to know what it looks like)

[Tyndmyr]

Well, the plans are based on the affordaplane design, on the basis that it had been reviewed as fairly reliable by multiple sources...I might put up a concept sketch later if the artist feels so inclined. But hey...onward to other projects!

Which reminds me...time to start a new thread...