What planes have realistic "fold every time you fly" wings?

MarkH

MarkH

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MarkH
I've been reading about Fly Babies and after reading the wing fold procedure, I am left wondering it it is actually easier than removing the wings.

On the other hand, the Sonex Onex, Avid Flyers and Kitfoxs have a wing folding mechanism that one person can fold or unfold the plane in 15 minutes.

I know many experimental designs (and the Remos LSAs) have a folding wing option, but I am curious how many out there have wings that one can reasonably plan to fold every time the plane is taken out or put back in the hangar.
 
The Just Highlander and Superstol both have folding wings. Only takes a few minutes
 
Some versions of the Thorpe T-18 have folding wings, as does the later S-18.

The original Glasair GlaStar had an interesting wing fold system with the lower attach point for the wing struts aft of the cabin entrance doors.
 
GRG55 said:
Some versions of the Thorpe T-18 have folding wings, as does the later S-18.

The original Glasair GlaStar had an interesting wing fold system with the lower attach point for the wing struts aft of the cabin entrance doors.
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@MarkH Current version, the Sportsman, has the folding wing. Takes about 5 minutes to do.
 
All of the Kolbs can be folded / unfolded in under 10 minutes by one person.
 
None, I hope. I prefer to have them wait until after I'm done flying to fold.
 
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(I know, there is one in every crowd...)
 
RV 12 can have the wings taken off fairly easily. Designed like that for transport from home to airport on your trailer.
 
luvflyin said:
@MarkH Current version, the Sportsman, has the folding wing. Takes about 5 minutes to do.
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The Glasair Sportsman is the most conventional aircraft I'm aware of with folding wings. Pricey, but a nice plane with a 2 weeks to taxi program. Prices have gone up recently which is commiserate with significant upgrades to the interior and preparation for taking the plane to the certified category. https://glasairaviation.com/sportsman/
 
WDD said:
RV 12 can have the wings taken off fairly easily. Designed like that for transport from home to airport on your trailer.
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Very practical considering the limited hangar availability these days.

 
luvflyin said:
Current version, the Sportsman, has the folding wing. Takes about 5 minutes to do.
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Did it also retain the nosewheel to taildragger conversion capability the original GlaStar had as well?
 
NordicDave said:
The Glasair Sportsman is the most conventional aircraft I'm aware of with folding wings. Pricey, but a nice plane with a 2 weeks to taxi program. Prices have gone up recently which is commiserate with significant upgrades to the interior and preparation for taking the plane to the certified category. https://glasairaviation.com/sportsman/
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Loved that plane. I came real close to getting one through the two weeks to taxi thang about 8 years ago. Alas, life and piggy bank issues got in the way.
 
My first couple attempts at building RC airplanes?:D
 
WDD said:
RV 12 can have the wings taken off fairly easily. Designed like that for transport from home to airport on your trailer.
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So does the RV 12 also have automatic hookups for the Ailerons?

Brian
 
MarkH said:
How difficult is the T/S-18 to fold and unfold?
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It's more complicated than something like the GlaStar. A friend of mine used to have an S-18 with the folding wings. Takes about 15 to 20 minutes for one person to fold or unfold them as I recall from watching him. They pull out slightly, then pivot and fold back against the fuselage so the plane can be trailered.

Couple of pictures:

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One needs to remember the Thorpe is a 1960s vintage design. It was quite a performer for its time, sort of a predecessor to the Vans RV-6. Don Taylor's T-18 is in the EAA Museum at Oshkosh, the first amateur built aircraft to circumnavigate the world.
The folding wing was designed by Lou Sunderland, who went on to design the S-18 in collaboration with John Thorpe, a modified T-18 with the folding wing and a wider fuselage. All the Thorpe '18s have a stabilator with anti-servo tab, just like the Piper Cherokees that Thorpe had a hand in designing.
 
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Swinging a Just Aircraft Highlander/SuperSTOL wing. 90 seconds.
 
brcase said:
So does the RV 12 also have automatic hookups for the Ailerons?

Brian
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Flaperons, and yes... sort of. There's a tab that needs to be aligned with the end of the torque tube that protrudes from the fuselage.

The RV-12 does have wings that could, in theory, be removed after each flight, and I saw a design for a cool trailer built specifically to haul it with built-in wing cradles and all. I haven't ever hard of anyone actually flying one without a hangar and trailering it home after each flight. Wing removal and installation is a two-person job, so there's that as well. I thought about it, and discarded the idea pretty quickly.
 
This was my plane. Later Kolbs have auto connecting elevators.

 
Should also consider how serious you are about folding the wings after every flight. I rarely see airplanes folding or unfolding wings at my airport. There was a guy with an Avid using a shipping container as a hangar, but he lasted about a year.

One factor is airport access. My airport has gates, and unless you have a tiedown spot, a hangar, or otherwise rent space on the airport, you don't get in.

Depending on the aircraft, you might be able to share a hangar with someone....
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It's a bit of a hassle, sometimes, but does make storage cheaper.

Ron Wanttaja
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
One needs to take a page from a sailplane playbook.
60 foot wingspan, one geezer, 9 minutes...
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One could certainly come up with something similar for the -12, if one were sufficiently motivated. I've never heard of or seen anyone that motivated. :)
 
DaleB said:
Flaperons, and yes... sort of. There's a tab that needs to be aligned with the end of the torque tube that protrudes from the fuselage.

The RV-12 does have wings that could, in theory, be removed after each flight, and I saw a design for a cool trailer built specifically to haul it with built-in wing cradles and all. I haven't ever hard of anyone actually flying one without a hangar and trailering it home after each flight. Wing removal and installation is a two-person job, so there's that as well. I thought about it, and discarded the idea pretty quickly.
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Thanks if you listen closely to the video you can hear what sounds like Dick V. in the background talking about how sailplanes often use a one man rigging device. Something like that could easily be adapted to work with the RV12 to make it a one person job to rig/derig.

Brian
 
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