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Re: Carbon Dragon structural limits 10 Dec 2013 22:12 #525

Karl and guys,

We discussed the visibility in another thread, but I couldn't see very well up and back, which is where you need to look while you are circling in thermals. My preference would be a mid-wing with my eyeline above the top of the wing and the ability to move my head to look back under the wing. I also want my eyeline forward of the leading edge at the root. Improved visibility would greatly improve the Carbon Dragon flying experience for me.

I am currently working on developing ground towing operations to tow paragliders, hang gliders and ultralight sailplanes. We bought a Cloud Street Winch and have made about 100 tows over the last 6 weeks, including step tows to about 3000 feet off the ground. I expect I'll be working this development pretty hard through the Summer trying to encourage my fellow pilots to fly and go XC.

After towing operations are developed, I plan on rolling into the design, build, test and operation of an ultralight sailplane. I won't talk too much about this on this group, since the subject is the Carbon Dragon, but the goal will be similar to the Carbon Dragon, only with the added stipulation that it will be designed to be built from plans and be adequate for folks up to 242 pounds (110 kg).

The Archaeopteryx looks very nice, but has a similar configuration as the Carbon Dragon. It appears that the visibility is better than the CD, but not nearly as good as a conventional sailplane. The cost is also stratospheric.

Karl, your giant aerobatic models look really good. Let's stay in touch.

I hope to fly for a good while longer. The hang gliding may only be for another decade or so, but I bet I could fly into my 70's (should I live so long) with a good ultralight sailplane.

Dan

--- In This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., "KarlS" wrote:
>
> Thanks Dan. I will be honest I may have started a CD a few years ago but one thing stopped me. I saw some photo's of a pilot sitting in the plane from the front side view. It appeared that if he looked left or right he would have looked right into the wing roots. Not sure if this is true or not. Is that the problem with the visibility?
>
> I was kidding about the book and appreciate your posts.
>
> Your comment about the designing of ultralight sailplanes is interesting.
>
> I am going to put this out there for consideration from any one. I would love to help in any way on the design of a new ultralight sailplane. Perhaps building a prototype or scale model of.
>
> I am not an aeronautical engineer but love to do backyard engineering.
> I have 2 united states patents with my name on them and 4 decades of designing and flying model aircraft.
>
> Here is a link to a 1/2 scale model I am designing and building now.
>
> www.flyinggiants.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57469
>
> and a Christmas Joke of my plane.
>
>

>
> I would love to see a plane that could be homebuilt in the catagory of the Carbon Dragon. The Swiss Archaeopteryx would be my goal.
>
> I know this is not an open forum on designing but for the Carbon Dragon. Please forgive my intrusion.
>
> Congrats on still flying Dan. Your recent flight I bet stays in your mind for a long time.
>
> Karl

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