flhrci
Final Approach
Pretty cool plane.
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exc...e_LightSportBiplane_FlightTrial_207858-1.html
David
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exc...e_LightSportBiplane_FlightTrial_207858-1.html
David
It flys just as good as it looks.
The aircraft was designed to be flown off small grass airfields in Europe. The flaperons are for getting in and out of the short fields. They also help improve approach visibility by providing a more nose down pitch attitude. You can get it slowed to an approach speed of 50 KIAS and touch down around 35-40. It doesn't take much of gust to go from rolling out nicely to flying again so like any other aircraft, you have to fly it all the way to the hangar.
Since it is designed for grass strips and the original model doesn't have differential braking, the tailwheel steering is directly linked to the rudder. No springs or castoring in the system to dampen out inputs. Good on slick grass but it requires a different technique on hard surfaces. I think "Freeze your feet" as the tailwheel touches down and then "Smaaall inputs" for the roll out. Nothing new but it is real easy to over control if you don't pay attention. Differential braking and and a castoring tailwheel options will will give it a more conventional feel.
There is no shortage of videos on the web of Comets doing aerobatics with the Rotax. These guys have either built a kit or just don't care about limitations in the POH. Unfortunately Rotax puts the statement "This engines is not suitable for aerobatics" in all of it's engine manuals. This means that no SLSA manufacturer selling planes in the US is going to allow aerobatics in a ROTAX equipped aircraft. Hence the installation of the Lycoming which has no such prohibitions.
The Comet isn't actually designed specifically as an aerobatic aircraft. It is a Light Sport Aircraft that will be capable of aerobatics once all regulatory hoops are jumped through. Based on it's capabilities so far, it ought to do well in the sportsman categroy.
Definitely!!! There are already more than a hundred flying with the Rotax as it is standard equipment. The aircraft performs very well with the 912 and is alot of fun to fly.And if a potential buyer were not interested in aerobatics, could he or she elect the Rotax for the weight savings and whatever fuel savings might be realized?
-Rich
Definitely!!! There are already more than a hundred flying with the Rotax as it is standard equipment. The aircraft performs very well with the 912 and is alot of fun to fly.
They have been advertising it as fully aerobatic with the Lycoming without a flying example for over 2 years so far........
The flaperons would be useless to me though I feel like. I have never needed more of a nose down pitch attitude in the Pitts.
.... But I'll bet the flaperons are there to accomplish the "clean" 45KT LSA limit on stall speed. Since the flaperons are also the ailerons, I'll bet there's a technicality that allows this airplane to have only one landing/stall speed configuration, not two...as a plane with dedicated flaps would have. Otherwise, I can't figure why you'd bother with them on a plane like this...unless you're trying give them flaperon effect like the Ultimate Bipe had for high AoA stuff. But I'd bet against that.
Any SLSA equipped with a Rotax 912 won't be allowed aerobatics because Rotax disallows it. "This Engine not Suitable for Aerobatics" is in all the installation manuals for the 912 series. EXAB aircraft don't have to worry about the restriction.
Looks like this project has been scuttled and replaced with the Carbon Pitts.
The LSA Compliant Carbon Pitts LS1 and LS2
The FK factory will produce it's own installation with the AEIO 233 and another aerobatic capable engine.
Any idea on the timeline? Are they starting from scratch or picking up where Renegade left off?