My “other” hobby...first “plane”

[wingrider]

Figured some of you might get a kick out of one of my other hobby’s I am getting started.

I have always wanted to have a plane, but never had the money, or license to actually do it.

One day I heard a drone in the sky, and saw a parachute with a go cart attached to it that had a propeller on it. Learned that this was a powered parachute.

Did a little research, and found that I could buy a new rolling frame fairly local to me cheaper than I could build it.

So, this followed me home.

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I decided that I wanted a 4 stroke engine on it instead of the traditional 2 stoke. Settled on a Subaru V twin EFI to power it.

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I think I have all the parts to finish it, and this coming spring I am going to be taking lessons on how to fly this contraption.

My Wing is an Amco, it is Black, orange and white. Decided to go with a wooden prop...will see how that works.

This is sort of what it will look like when it is rolling again. Mine is obviously a different color, and a different seat, but similar otherwise. This was a unit from where I bought my roller.

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Hope you enjoy the quick story!

[Whiskerfish]

Very cool! I have actually been fortunate to fly a coupe of "experimental" type helicopters and each one was an adventure. One I remember had a propane tank and the lines were run through the blades to the tips where a ram jet was mounted. Wish I had some pics but it was a long time ago.

[5speed]

friend of mine has an ultralite..I've been up with him quite a few times.
Would love to get into flying but it is expensive..
Looking forward to updates on your new hobby.

[wingrider]

friend of mine has an ultralite..I've been up with him quite a few times.
Would love to get into flying but it is expensive..
Looking forward to updates on your new hobby.

This is a pretty easy way to get to fly....guessing I will have about 5 g’s into this setup. If I went to sell it, I would take a big hit, as they go for about half of new.

Found an advertisement picture of my Wing...here is what it looks like.

E1D938A0-EC6D-4A19-A219-826804323DD2.jpeg (15.67 KiB) Viewed 306 times

[wingrider]

Very cool! I have actually been fortunate to fly a coupe of "experimental" type helicopters and each one was an adventure. One I remember had a propane tank and the lines were run through the blades to the tips where a ram jet was mounted. Wish I had some pics but it was a long time ago.

That sounds pretty wild!

[Sugs]

Totally cool. Can't wait to see it finished. Learning to fly is on my bucket list.

[5speed]

friend of mine has an ultralite..I've been up with him quite a few times.
Would love to get into flying but it is expensive..
Looking forward to updates on your new hobby.

This is a pretty easy way to get to fly....guessing I will have about 5 g’s into this setup. If I went to sell it, I would take a big hit, as they go for about half of new.

Found an advertisement picture of my Wing...here is what it looks like.

E1D938A0-EC6D-4A19-A219-826804323DD2.jpeg

do you need any type of license? I never checked into it but for ultralights you need a recreational license up here.
That isn't to bad of a price..
What length of runway do you need to get airborne?

[salukispeed]

Very cool! I have actually been fortunate to fly a coupe of "experimental" type helicopters and each one was an adventure. One I remember had a propane tank and the lines were run through the blades to the tips where a ram jet was mounted. Wish I had some pics but it was a long time ago.

I believe One version of that ramjet powered type was the Hiller Hornet. I saw one attempt to fly several years ago in Oshkosh Wisconsin at the EAA airventure . It was tethered but it did fly and looked very unstable at that time. So many things have been tried over the years.

[wingrider]

[quote="5speed...snip...

do you need any type of license? I never checked into it but for ultralights you need a recreational license up here.
That isn't to bad of a price..
What length of runway do you need to get airborne?[/quote]

Down here in the US, you do not need a license to fly an experimental aircraft if a few rules are followed. I am a touch rusty on all the rules, but I believe the gist is the rig can not weigh more than 254 pounds when empty. I do not think this includes any safety equipment, but could be wrong. You can have a max of 5 gallons of fuel on board, cannot go over 55 knots in level, full power flight, and the power off stall speed must not exceed 24 knots airspeed.

This is all for a single seat craft. Once you hop into a twin seater, you need a sport license.

[Whiskerfish]

Very cool! I have actually been fortunate to fly a coupe of "experimental" type helicopters and each one was an adventure. One I remember had a propane tank and the lines were run through the blades to the tips where a ram jet was mounted. Wish I had some pics but it was a long time ago.

I believe One version of that ramjet powered type was the Hiller Hornet. I saw one attempt to fly several years ago in Oshkosh Wisconsin at the EAA airventure . It was tethered but it did fly and looked very unstable at that time. So many things have been tried over the years.

Yea this was at an airshow in Halifax NS in probably 85ish. I took it to a hover but never went into forward flight. the fuel lines were ancient, dry rot and cracked so I did not want to push my luck.

[wingrider]

Those Choppers seem tiny! Very cool! Wonder how they flew?

[5speed]

Yea this was at an airshow in Halifax NS in probably 85ish. I took it to a hover but never went into forward flight. the fuel lines were ancient, dry rot and cracked so I did not want to push my luck.

I have a buddy that was in the Air Force in 85. wonder if he was in shearwater when you did that.

Down here in the US, you do not need a license to fly an experimental aircraft if a few rules are followed. I am a touch rusty on all the rules, but I believe the gist is the rig can not weigh more than 254 pounds when empty. I do not think this includes any safety equipment, but could be wrong. You can have a max of 5 gallons of fuel on board, cannot go over 55 knots in level, full power flight, and the power off stall speed must not exceed 24 knots airspeed.

This is all for a single seat craft. Once you hop into a twin seater, you need a sport license.

something to add to my "mid life crisis" list.

[Whiskerfish]

Those Choppers seem tiny! Very cool! Wonder how they flew?

The one I was in was similar to that but did not have any skin. Having piloted several different types of US military helo's the ramjet was completely different than a traditional Helo. Yaw was only controlled by the large vertical fin hooked to the pedals and the effects of the rotorwash on it. Blade pitch was fixed and power control was a gated type fuel valve. To increase lift you opened the valve more which sped up the blades. Directional control was accomplished with a T Bar and you basically tilted the rotor plane in the direction you wanted to go. It was really quite unnerving and rinky dink. Our pilots refused to try it and that was when I got the offer. As an Enlisted guy with an opportunity to show up the Officer Corp I had to accept. Needless to say I drank for free that night!!

[desertrefugee]

something to add to my "mid life crisis" list.

I think I'll "complete" my crisis on the ground. That thing looks a mite more dangerous that a motorsickle.

At least when (or if) my horizontally opposed mill decides to quit, I simply roll to a stop with very little drama. I'm guessing that even with the "wing/chute" on that contraption, the rig and payload/pilot are heavy enough to make an unplanned descent fairly exciting...

[wingrider]

Those Choppers seem tiny! Very cool! Wonder how they flew?

The one I was in was similar to that but did not have any skin. Having piloted several different types of US military helo's the ramjet was completely different than a traditional Helo. Yaw was only controlled by the large vertical fin hooked to the pedals and the effects of the rotorwash on it. Blade pitch was fixed and power control was a gated type fuel valve. To increase lift you opened the valve more which sped up the blades. Directional control was accomplished with a T Bar and you basically tilted the rotor plane in the direction you wanted to go. It was really quite unnerving and rinky dink. Our pilots refused to try it and that was when I got the offer. As an Enlisted guy with an opportunity to show up the Officer Corp I had to accept. Needless to say I drank for free that night!!

I kind of figured it would be different. Funny enough, Rinky dink came to my mind looking at the pictures!

That is a great story!