That's pretty much why I started looking at the CD in earnest - my lust and avarice for owning an Archaeopteryx was exceeded only by the volume of drool my keyboard was absorbing as I pawed the screen looking at the early prototype... oh, that and my overdraft.

The performance characteristics of the two gliders are actually pretty similar CD = 25:1 and 100fpm sink rate while the Archaeopteryx = 28:1 and 98fpm sink rate. The latter, unfortunately, requires the selling of both my kidneys and also my family into slavery (I can live with that, but I'm rather fond of my kidneys!) The Carbon Dragon, on the other hand, I could pay for very easily. Something of a no-brainer.

If we accept the basic design of the flight surfaces (wings - tail boom - empennage - H-stab) needs little updating then all that's left is to decide how we go about hanging the pilot underneath it. The existing pilot pod has a couple of big drawbacks - pilot's highly restricted field of view and the limited ability to move the CG due to the wing spar.

I've started researching the use of clear Mylar film as a wing covering (used on the prototype Swift) that would allow the pilot to look through the wing. The black carbon parts could be infused with a white pigment (problems here, apparently) or simply sprayed white to reflect heat (or at least reduce heat absorption in hot sun) or even cover the leading edges with reflective aluminised Mylar film underneath the clear wing covering.

My thoughts have been moving in the direction of completely redesigning the pilot pod to something along the lines of the Archaeopteryx, the Swift and the Millennium, which are all roughly similar; all hang the pilot further below the wing than in the CD. With the pilot in a more reclined position and with his head below the wing, you are now free to shift the CG without obstruction. No heavy duty structural members are required for this - you simply need something strong enough to take the pilot's weight... and take the shock loads of ground handling and landing.

I will *probably* build my CD more or less to the plans (pod included) but in such a way that I can remove the pod from the tail boom at a later date and experiment with different pod designs. For now, I'm continuing to concentrate on building the wings. I have the female moulds and the foam cores for all the wing ribs (aft of the spar) completed and ready for lamination, and I'll start work on the D-cell rib moulds shortly. It's St. Paddy's weekend here this weekend... and it looks like we'll also have epic post-frontal XC skies to boot, so not much hope of making progress until after that!

Phil.

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From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.] On Behalf Of Kenny Andersen
Sent: 15 March 2012 22:17
To: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Subject: Re: [Carbondragonbuildersandpilots] Re: Archaeopteryx website



I was looking at the Archaeopteryx again last night. I agree with some other posts that it's likely the forward sweeping of the CD wing is not enough to compensate for the CG. Looking at the Archaeopteryx , which as you said is pretty much functionally where we want to go, I think the pilot position shows there is no way [practically] that you could putt he pilot in the 'traditional' sailplane location -- especially if there is any weight-saving going on in the aft. Would anybody have any grief shooting for a home-brew of the Archaeopteryx? I think we all pretty much agree it cost more than any of us are willing to pay (not that it' not nice and all!), but it is pretty sweet. I think a composite CD wing and a light pod could make the 155 (70.3 Kg) and then the fairing could be left off or added as desired... thoughts?

--- On Thu, 3/15/12, Bill Jackson <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.> wrote:


From: Bill Jackson <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Subject: Re: [Carbondragonbuildersandpilots] Re: Archaeopteryx website
To: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cc: "KarlS" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, March 15, 2012, 1:43 PM



The Archaeopteryx is a good example of an optimized Carbon Dragon and as such, is a great template to use as a goal. Unfortunately, at $80,000, it is like pursuing a supermodel with the soul of Mother Teresa. Desirable but ultimately unobtainable and even frustrating to us mere mortals who must find what is important to us, what we can obtain, and pursue our happiness in that. Sorry for the buzz-kill.

Billj3cub