this (in red) apparently flew over our hangar in N Seattle today

Looks like something Escher would have designed. I love that it is powered by Apple! I am sure Kent will be on the waiting list for one any day now.
 
Looks kinda like an old WWII German Design:
 

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AdamZ said:
Wow some serious physicis had to go into that.
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No. Burt Rutan happened into the design room and you see the results.
When he gets hold of a piece of paper and pencil there's only one outcome: It will be weird and it will fly.

Mike Melville must have some kind of serious trust in Rutan. I mean, how many test pilots would walk into the hangar and see a you've-got-to-be-kidding-me then get in and test fly it...on a regular basis.
 
My only question is why. Its not pretty, and it can't handle an engine failure well (well, that is the right engine failure).

I think Rutan's starting to go batty.
 
check the date on the article, nick

that plane first flew in 1993

http://www.davidpride.com/AirVenture/Osh97_16.htm

the assymetric hp allows straight ahead single engine flight with almost no rudder trim adjustment


SkyHog said:
My only question is why. Its not pretty, and it can't handle an engine failure well (well, that is the right engine failure).

I think Rutan's starting to go batty.
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SkyHog said:
I think Rutan's starting to go batty.
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Um. Have you not been keeping up on his line of airplanes in general from day one?
They started out batty...then things started getting weird. :loco:
 
smigaldi said:
According the article the plane's flight characteristics do not really change much with either engine out.
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That is just so non-intuitive. Guess that's why it took Rutan to come up with it. Then again, there was Cap'n Jack's post about the old WWII design, so maybe it wasn't as radical as it looks.
 
gprellwitz said:
That is just so non-intuitive. Guess that's why it took Rutan to come up with it. Then again, there was Cap'n Jack's post about the old WWII design, so maybe it wasn't as radical as it looks.
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It is out of the box thinking. The idea to have the CG to the left of the pilot, less lift on the left wing are created to counter balance the asymetric thrust of the outboard engine when the main engine is out. Also by back setting the outboard engine the two engines are both very close to the CG so neither is critical engine. Even the tail is set up to handle the p-factor affects.
 
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