The Planes You Find on Craigslist...

GRG55

GRG55

Final Approach
Gone West
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
9,306
Display Name
Display name:
Aztec Flyer
Anybody heard of this thing before? Looks like a twin-engined SX-300 on growth hormones from Monsanto.

Interesting N-number. A more interesting question is how much range does it have - those itty bitty skinny wings don't look like they hold much fuel to feed those two monsters. :eek: Six laps around the Reno pylons?

Even more interesting still, is the matter of the rudder authority under single engine conditions - might be the first piston twin with a Vmc that is higher than the plane's Vne? :D Says it never flew in the notes. Maybe for good reason?

Anybody got any insight into it?

https://anchorage.craigslist.org/avo/d/port-angeles-io-720-engines-props/6764492437.html

We have 2 Lycoming IO-720 Experimental Engines with new 3 Blade Hartzel Props and Spinners. The Engines are freshly overhauled by Chuck Nye Aviation with .010 over pistons with the nye cam lube modifications. Were on a experimental aircraft that never ended up flying. Over $100k spent on each engine, accessories, and mounts. Comes with all accessories, starters, fuel servos, electronic mags, alternators,intake, exhaust etc...​

00x0x_c8DXU1CST5F_600x450.jpg


00t0t_hfLVyJ64kHZ_600x450.jpg


00606_ejmlCsdyAht_600x450.jpg
 
Note that the ad is only for the engines, but they'll throw in the rest of the project if you want it.
 
Sac Arrow said:
It looks straight out of Star Wars.
Click to expand...

No kidding.
It would probably take something like an SR-71 to come rolling along the taxiway to take attention away from this beast on the ramp.
 
Tiny rudder, two big engines spaced pretty far apart...no thanks. Probably moves like lighting so long as both are turning.
 
Looks like a modern day twin engine equivalent of a Gee Bee. It would probably be about as demanding to fly as well.

I wonder if it was intended to be an unlimited race plane.
 
Looks like something out of the movie Planes!!
Wonder why it never got off the ground. Looks like some dinero was spent
 
OK, that's a P-38 panel. What's the big handle that is located below the compass? I can't read the markings. Maybe rudder or aileron trim?
 
kyleb said:
OK, that's a P-38 panel. What's the big handle that is located below the compass? I can't read the markings. Maybe rudder or aileron trim?
Click to expand...
Shot gun starter.
 
I cant find whete it has

Although, I think Velocity said it did at Reno several years ago?
 
The plane in the original post was designed by Bill Husa (he went by Orion on the hombuilt airplanes forum). I believe it was intended for racing at Reno but I don’t know all the details. There are probably some people over on that forum that can give more information about the design.

Bill was a great guy and very knowledgeable about aircraft design. He passed away a few years ago.

This was another one of Bill’s designs:
http://privateerindustries.com/
 
Should it concern me that I got 10 likes on a post in which I called myself an ass?

I should have stuck with my original thought. All planes haul ass... one per seat. :)
 
Kenny Phillips said:
The cooling system holds 400 pounds of water. Wow.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a boil-off cooling system where they avoid the drag of radiators. (Edit - the airplane does have a radiator, but is largely dependent on using the skin as a heat exchanger. That was a technique used by Schneider Cup racers back in the day.)

I don't understand the props, and the rest of the thing looks positively scary to me.
 
Last edited:
If it had an ejection seat, a modern one . . . nah. . ..
 
kyleb said:
I don't understand the props
Click to expand...
Neither do I.. if you follow the path of rotation it seems that aggressive sweep on the leading edge would not be helpful for efficiency. If anything for a high speed application I'd imagine you want a as much of a flat fast surface as possible to hit the air perpendicularly, or, with a slight forward sweep and then taper as you see on the larger modern turbofans.. but what do I know, apparently it has some NASA inspired tech. I bet the thing sounds absolutely beastly

..also, is there supposed to be a spinner on that front? There has to be, right? Or does it just coffee grinder it's way through the air like that at 300+ knots
 
TRocket said:
It has the mark of the beast...no thank you
Click to expand...
I bet that's on purpose.. few things on a plane of that "caliber" are by accident, and given its design purpose and the red font coloring I'm sure it's intentional.. I mean the model name according to this http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Aircraft/6/N666JD.shtm is "OLD CROW" - crows aren't exactly associated with happy unicorn things..


...then again.. might all be a coincidence; I went way too far down the Google rabbit hole on this one, BUT.. if you look at the address on the FAA registry that brings you to the location of that HOA for that development with John David Crow as the contact number, with a website associated with it called "Green Crow" which is a timber investment company. The plot thickens! (or maybe it does not)
 
Hank S said:
The Navion is $1, but it looks like the airport is for sale, too. How does that much land near San Antone have grass and other living, green things on it??
Click to expand...

45XA (Buelah) is about 30 mi east of SA. It’s been a wet year and those pics are from the spring. The airport was on the market in the spring for $1.6m.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top