"She flies like a dream!"

[Project: Mustang LLC]

"She flies like a dream!"

Those are the words spoken by Bill Koleno, Chief Test Pilot, Titan Aircraft, immediately after the first test flights of our new "high speed" wing.
Note the wing is installed on a B model Mustang.

 

[SCCutler]

Okay, that's pretty cool.

More info?

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

Okay, that's pretty cool.

More info?

Sure! That is the Titan T-51B Mustang, a 3/4 scale replica. The wing in the photo is our new symmetrical wing, just developed by Titan. It's a 28' wingspan, perfect 3/4 scale. Plus we anticipate cruise speeds in excess of 240 mph.

For more info / pictures / videos, etc., check out our page on Facebook...Project: Mustang, LLC

FB is being utilized until which time we are flying "Denton Doll", at which time we will have a full blown website. Coming to skies near you Summer, 2016!

 

[Velocity173]

Always liked the T-51. It's really come into its own once they got away from the Rotax and went with the "Mini Merlins." If I was to ever have the time to build a homebuilt, it would be a T-51.

 

[docmirror]

Cute. No FB for me, so that's out.

Looks like it'll be a 'challenge' to land.

 

[Bill]

Are the car V-6 engines capable of running 75% power for extended periods?

 

[Henning]

Are you part of the Titan "factory team" or part of a build project? Either way you're welcome and have a cool program up. I was just wondering if the wing redesign was an inside or outside effort.

 

[Henning]

Are the car V-6 engines capable of running 75% power for extended periods?

% what power? That's the problem with using %power, it's an arbitrary number selected and built to. I can take the same V-6 and get 150hp at 100% output or 450hp at 100% output.

The better factor to look at is HP/CUin when considering the load factor, and HP/lb when considering comparative in an airframe.

Let's make it a 300hp turbo V-6. Can I let it run at 260hp for extended periods at 3600-4200 rpm (PSRU mandatory)? Yes. The parts are available in the racing aftermarket to build this to a very reliable and long TBO lived standard. You will end up spending MORE than buying a 300hp turbo aircraft engine, and it will weigh a bit more, but you will have water cooling and really good stuff that you'll have to crash to break along with full and programable FADEC.

 

[Bill]

Let's make it a 300hp turbo V-6. Can I let it run at 260hp for extended periods at 3600-4200 rpm (PSRU mandatory)? Yes.

You don't have to suppose on the engine. From their web page, one of the engines is the Honda 3.5L V-6, normally aspirated. Every Odyssey minivan you see on the road uses this engine.

Specs:

Type: V-6, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled Displacement: 212 cu in (3,471 cc) Bore: 3.504 in (89 mm) Stroke: 3.661 in (93 mm) Compression Ratio: 10:1 Induction: Multi-port fuel injection Ignition: Coil-on-plug Gearbox Reduction: 2.26:1 Ramp Weight: 416 lbs (189 kg) Power Rating: 245 hp (183 kw) @ 5,750 rpm Price: $9,500.00

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

The engines range from the V6 Suzuki, V6 Honda, V8 Chevy, and V12 BMW. Our engine (LS3 6.3 Chevy) will put out 350 hp at 4,500 rpm. That is max T/O power.
Our power to weight ratio will equal the WWII P-51 at 6.8 lbs per hp.

Project Mustang is my company, formed in order to build this aircraft.
I have flown both the Honda, and the Chevy...we are going with the V8!

And yes, these engines can run at high rpm all day. The factory (GM, Honda, etc.) tests them in WOT conditions for days at a time.

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

I was just wondering if the wing redesign was an inside or outside effort.

The new wing is a derivative of the current wing, but it is symmetrical. The current wing is terminal velocity limited to 239 mph, downhill, power on.
The new wing is not limited, and will go as fast as you have power to pull you thru the air.

Our wing is rated at +9 / -6 G's. The basic airframe is designed around a 10 G load.

Stress testing in the UK showed the wing held up to 12.3 G's before the skin started to wrinkle.

Designed in house by Titan Aircraft.

 

[Henning]

You don't have to suppose on the engine. From their web page, one of the engines is the Honda 3.5L V-6, normally aspirated. Every Odyssey minivan you see on the road uses this engine.

Specs:

Type: V-6, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled Displacement: 212 cu in (3,471 cc) Bore: 3.504 in (89 mm) Stroke: 3.661 in (93 mm) Compression Ratio: 10:1 Induction: Multi-port fuel injection Ignition: Coil-on-plug Gearbox Reduction: 2.26:1 Ramp Weight: 416 lbs (189 kg) Power Rating: 245 hp (183 kw) @ 5,750 rpm Price: $9,500.00

Yep, with that gear box it shouldn't have problems. Bottom ends on these are light and strong. Will you get 2000 hrs out of it? Maybe, but certainly 1000, and the overhaul will be a fraction of an aircraft design. You're 212cuin, more than doubling the RPM so you're HP/CUin/RPM ratio is on par with a 540 putting out 250hp. Your fuel economy may not be as good though.

 

[Henning]

The new wing is a derivative of the current wing, but it is symmetrical. The current wing is terminal velocity limited to 239 mph, downhill, power on.
The new wing is not limited, and will go as fast as you have power to pull you thru the air.

Our wing is rated at +9 / -6 G's. The basic airframe is designed around a 10 G load.

Stress testing in the UK showed the wing held up to 12.3 G's before the skin started to wrinkle.

Designed in house by Titan Aircraft.

So is this wing going to be available to future builders? Will it be able to retrofit onto existing airframes?

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

So is this wing going to be available to future builders? Will it be able to retrofit onto existing airframes?

Yes, I think it will be available. They tell me that you can retro-fit this to an existing wing, however the new center section is a bit different.

There is a significant upcharge for the fast wing also.

 

[flhrci]

WANT!

 

[Henning]

Neat. Are you looking to turbo charge/normalize, or otherwise supercharge the LS3? Are you doing anything to the bottom end, or staying stock? PSRU type?

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

Neat. Are you looking to turbo charge/normalize, or otherwise supercharge the LS3? Are you doing anything to the bottom end, or staying stock? PSRU type?

Stock LS3. PSRU is a 1.9 to 1 gear ratio. Built By Neil Hintz in New Zealand. Very reliable to date with zero failures that were the fault of the reduction drive unit.

 

[Henning]

Stock LS3. PSRU is a 1.9 to 1 gear ratio. Built By Neil Hintz in New Zealand. Very reliable to date with zero failures that were the fault of the reduction drive unit.

If I could afford one, I'd put this in it: http://www.mercuryracing.com/automotive/


I figure the day I need a PSRU I'll buy a Lenco gear box stage and have a 2 speed drive for high and low performance flying. It would be good for having fun with prop climb records keeping power by spraying nitromethane and nitrous oxide into the engine to get a "reciprocating rocket" and a high speed prop up where the air is real thin and Mach is faster.

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

Can't load it here, but you can view the first test flight on our Facebook page.

 

[Henning]

Always liked the T-51. It's really come into its own once they got away from the Rotax and went with the "Mini Merlins." If I was to ever have the time to build a homebuilt, it would be a T-51.

Ok, I thought these were the ones I saw with the 912, I always thought that sad. Good thing the are redoing things.

 

[ktup-flyer]

The engines range from the V6 Suzuki, V6 Honda, V8 Chevy, and V12 BMW. Our engine (LS3 6.3 Chevy) will put out 350 hp at 4,500 rpm. That is max T/O power.
Our power to weight ratio will equal the WWII P-51 at 6.8 lbs per hp.

Project Mustang is my company, formed in order to build this aircraft.
I have flown both the Honda, and the Chevy...we are going with the V8!

And yes, these engines can run at high rpm all day. The factory (GM, Honda, etc.) tests them in WOT conditions for days at a time.

LS3 is a 6.2. Why only 350hp? I'd expect close to 400

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

LS3 is a 6.2. Why only 350hp? I'd expect close to 400

Because the prop tip speed cannot go supersonic. RPM limited to 4,500 at the crankshaft, which is about 2,400 prop rpm. Yes, the LS3 can easily do 420 hp.

This will be a 96" 4 blade paddle prop. The current prop is 84".

 

[ktup-flyer]

Because the prop tip speed cannot go supersonic. RPM limited to 4,500 at the crankshaft, which is about 2,400 prop rpm. Yes, the LS3 can easily do 420 hp.

This will be a 96" 4 blade paddle prop. The current prop is 84".

Makes sense. Hard to beat the sound and reliability of an LS.

 

[Project: Mustang LLC]

First test flight...

T-51 New Wing Test Flight.mp4