New Roadable Rotorcraft

okikuma

Member
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
3,492
Location
Santa Clarita, CA
New Roadable Rotorcraft

For a long time I've been secretly been working on a roadable rotorcraft and my prototype is finally completed. This is the first time anyone has seen this project in public. Unfortunately, I'm unable to bring it to Mentone this year. The aircraft was designed and built at an undisclosed location in California affectionately known as the "Pole Cat Works."

The fuselage was pattern closely after a common economy car by creating a large female mold over the entire car body, and laying up a carbon fiber replica body that is light and strong and presently painted over with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Flat Primer. In keeping with "lightness is good" policy, all four tires are bald (less rubber - less weight) and no padding on the carbon fiber seats.

Power in road mode is provided by a Kutoba D722 Diesel engine. In flight mode, power is provided by two highly modified unnamed turboprop engines. This way, one fuel can be used in both modes. The craft can operate on either Jet A, JP-5, #2 Diesel, Bio-Fuel, and Kerosene. In an emergency, Camel Urine can be used as an alternate fuel, but at much lower power settings.

The small diameter of the 3 bladed ridge rotor system is made from a special three fiber blended epoxy. Blade pitch and control is obtain by the special piezoelectric properties built into the rotor blades. The reason for a small diameter rotor is so that in road mode, the vehicle can pass under bridges, through tunnels, underground parking garages, and be street legal without a wide load permit, all without removing the rotor. In flight, the rotor will operate just above 2,000 RPM producing ample thrust well above the gross weight of the vehicle.

This roadable rotorcraft is one off experimental prototype, and no kit or plans will be made available only because there are those who will take a perfect flyable and safe proven design and change it with unproven and without sound engineering methods, and then blame me for their failures.

Besides, no one will believe that this roadable rotorcraft will fly anyway.

Wayne
 

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How unfortunate you made it with a three-blade variable-pitch rotor system. It might otherwise have been an excellent candidate for the Sport Pilot market. I hate to mench, but I believe you may have a slight camber issue with the rear landing gear.
 
Hmmm, you sound an awful lot like someone else on the forum....
 
your vision, okikuma's VISION

your vision, okikuma's VISION

Go with it Sir, go with your dreams. I salute you. MJD
 
Hmmm, you sound an awful lot like someone else on the forum....

I think there's some people that think anything can fly as long as it has a HS and CLT. Or at least it seems that way because that is all they can ever say about any flying machine.

So, just add a HS and I'm sure you can sell more of these than you can oceanfront property in Arizona.
 
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Oh Yeah, Right Wayne!
Your design? I saw almost the exact same machine in the Sport Copter R and D lab at the last Chapter 73 meeting. :0
 
This is the first time anyone has seen this project in public.

Then please explain how this same photo has been posted by someone else in the "funny helicopter pics" thread at my forum two years ago?? ;)
 
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Jon,

The camber issue you wrote about exists in that photo only because I was performing tethered hover tests outside the "Pole Cat Works" and there's very little weight on the wheels. There are those who will comment that if I was pulling pitch, why are the blades not coning? After exhaustive research and number crunching, the proprietary airfoil I developed will produce ample lift to bring the aircraft in a hover, prior to any blade coning.

I'm also betting on the elimination of the 3rd Class Medical so this Roadable Rotorcraft will then qualify.

Jeff,

My wind tunnel analysis data suggested the size and shape of both vertical and horizontal stabilizers for best directional control. One has to remember that the size and shape of the fuselage and the location of the center of gravity will also assist in directional and pitch stability. In the future, I may widen the span of the horizontal to equal the width of the fuselage just as an added precaution in pitch stability just to appease the nay-sayers.

You all have to remember that I personally have to keep track of the orbits of all of the various nations spy satellites in addition to the Google Earth Cars that keep sneaking up on me. It was becoming such a strain, that I finally decided to go public.

Real-time Satellites in Google Earth - YouTube

Dennis,

The only reason Sport Copter R & D Lab has my craft's photo is because obviously they have been indulging in some industrial espionage! I wonder how it was leaked out? Was it my numerous visits to Pinkie's Hardware and Bagel Shop? Or, was it from the very pretty, nice young lady who brought me the nice calendar and 20% off coupons for a 3 hour foot massage and tire rotation?

Hmmmmm ......

Wayne
 
New Roadable Rotorcraft

As long as we are talking about DreamWorks.....The KT Concept Rotorcraft.
Carbon fiber body, aluminum chassis.
An IO540 engine putting out 350 hp.
The cool feature is the “old school” direct drive radiator fan (minus the radiator).
The fan is large enough and is variable pitch to minimize the take off roll and maximize cruise speeds.
Alloy rims complement the feather light tires.
Each tire/rim package weighs a meager 6.5 lbs.
The tail is rounded upward to give 7 degrees of rotation in the landing flair.
Currently, there is no development being done on a soft top or hard top version.
 

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Good work Albert, you're looks much nicer than mine, but to be truly roadable, the rotor must be smaller. That's why I worked on the idea to be flyable and roadable without changing or moving a thing.

Wayne
 
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