These videos are gold. Having a genius, a legend explaining the basic of composite is priceless. Like having Steve Jobs explaining how to setup your iPhone. Mr. Rutan is an example of humbleness. Thank you Sir.
I was in ground school at Chino Airfield as part of a High School program (Regional Occupation Program, or ROP) back in the 1977-78 school year. Imagine our surprise on leaving class that afternoon and walking through the hangar, and right outside our door, is Burt's 2nd aircraft he ever built! The cockpit canopy was left open, and a couple of us couldn't resist sitting in what we already knew was a legendary man's aircraft and would soon be an important line of aviation history. Being extremely cautious and touching nothing, it was amazing to be there. I remember on the right hand side was an actual fishing line and weight hanging over penciled in protractor reference lines, right in the raw fiberglass. An amazing time in aviation and a fond memory for me.
Thanks for posting this! I still have a copy on VHS from...waaaay too long ago LOL Those two young gents disrupted homebuilt aviation and space tourism..and made it look EZ!
I wish we could’ve kept him through the dawn of electric aircraft. We needed him for this age. Luckily he pushed forward far enough that half of the work is done for the innovators of today.
this video is vastly under appreciated. it is literally filled with useful information about composites. as accurate today as it ever was. burt is a truly impressive man who likely crated the industry of home built aircraft we know today, not to mention is stunning biography. we need more people like him. seems he is more motivated by sharing his love of aircraft than becoming rich and famous.
Great demonstrated instruction. I've been working with high-performance resins and fibers for many years and I learned several new tricks from this. I've used it mainly to make racing kayaks and paddles and some human-powered road vehicles, but the principles and applications are very similar.
Steve, composites are still an evolving technology. This 'bucket and brush' technique is a very good way for DIYers to make parts. What your boss is really saying is that 'this is the way I want the process to be performed.'
All, please realize this video was made shortly after the LongEZ first flew. That means it was around 1980. Amateur cameras was not very good then, yet expensive. Mr. Rutan developed a technique that was simple and easy to do. That doesn't mean it was the ONLY WAY to do it. What it means is if one follows their instruction and video, even you can build a safe airframe structure out of composites. Today is July 2020. The technology and methodology for homebuilt airframes has moved forward since 1980 - - - -
best of all the technique is as viable today as it was back then. maybe there are better current ways but they are also more expensive and more complicated. the beauty of burt's methodology is that it was cheap and simple. that's a difficult combination to beat.
Rewind a decade before this video was produced, and the F-14, F-15, and F-16 were constructed utilizing vacuum bagged, autoclave cured, carbon and boron fiber prepreg composites. Technology has not advanced as much from that early success as people would think. Most progress has been in mass-production techniques such as resin infusion (RTM, VARTM). and out of autoclave (OOA) processes that retain very high properties similar to Autoclaved part at a fraction of the time/cost. Burt Rutans "moldless composite method" is still just as valuable today as it was then. It is very specialized and best for making rapid prototypes. Which a homebuilt aircraft qualifies. It is also valuable for custom Surfboards, boats, etc. What is truly impressive, is how easy it is to make and inspect a strong part. It is less easy to make it light as possible without vacuum bag, but it can be close with a good process and practice.
Still relate to an a great tutorial by one of the pioneers of fiberglass composite. All these techniques can be used today (although there are many others and variations) these tutorials will work for anyone getting started and through more complex fiberglass construction.
Great Video, thanks Burt. This was very informative in working with Foam/fibreglass. The tail edges was my concern all along. Now , I can get back to finishing the Berkut Project , I've been working on for years.
That is probably the most informative video I have ever seen on layup. The focused strand orientation and extensive use of peel ply and squeegees is not in most videos.
So cool to think this was the beginning of composite aircraft. Scaled Composites all these years later sending men to space with a more refined high tech version of the vision of one guy. Okay not one guy but close enough.
The clean up of uncured epoxy can also be done with Isopropyl Alcohol. It's fairly cheap and leaves a clean surface. This is especially good on squeegee tools and work surfaces. Thanks for sharing. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya
Always use polypropylene for you bagging, perf, and squeegees. Common 'painter's cloth' is made from polypropylene. Using a squeegee made from polypropylene, it can be cleaned with alcohol or acetone.
There are all sorts of solvents and cleaners that will cut through epoxy. But always always always test each chemical on scrap foam to see if it melts or changes it's texture or finish in any way. Many builders have ruined parts by not being thoughtful about what products are around their project. Don't even chance it to have MEK or Acetone located in your shop. Lol. This construction method works well, but solvents and gasoline can seep through even paint pinholes and 4x layers of fiberglass to melt the foam underneath. A high quality paint job is absolutely necessary for lifetime durability.
Well, Burt Rutan said in an interview that he came across the idea from the Aeromodeling community he was involved with, along with seeing a Sailplane repairman cutting out damaged areas of gliders, patching in foam glued to the inside of the fiberglass skin, followed by fiberglass layups. He determined between the models and the full-size repairs he could make the whole airplane that way. Genius, yes. But even the smartest guy in the world needs a little inspiration. I'm interested in the construction method for Voyager (claimed to be extensively Carbon/Graphite) as well as the construction method used on Spaceship One. (I.e. is it Moldless or mold-based layups). He has several patents on construction methods, and was always innovating on new methods. Most of which are moldless methods.
Maybe I can help: The blue styrofoam for the hotwire shaped core is Dow flotation buoyancy billet, and the green foam is regular polyurethane or polyiso. Most of which are close to 2lb/cuft density. The PVC foam used is anywhere from 3.3-15.5lb. The +/-45 layups provide the best shear properties. And wing-skin is primarily resisting wing torsion, which results in shear loads being transmitted to the fuselage sides. The vertical wing spar web is also 45 degrees for the same reason. Spar caps run the length of the wing across its span. And they are unidirectional unwoven fibers layed-up perfectly straight to handle bending loads in tension and compression. The top cap is a certain percentage thicker than the bottom cap for obvious reasons.
They're so young! When was this filmed? Both Burt and Mike are prominently featured in my documentary about SpaceShipOne from 2005 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-05fiRTI0CEE.htmlsi=stbFNXYeTOH7_Nsb
I'm not sure about the date, I have the DVD somewhere, I'll post the date if it's there when I find it. I'm looking at your documentary right now, such great work! I'm jealous I wasn't there, but your video gives that vibe of how it was to witness it up close! I was following closely the project at the time and I was blown away by it! It's one of my all time favorite aerospace related projects, It's a shame it has so few views, I made a comment on my channel's homepage, I hope it help more people to find it. Thanks again for the comment!
Thanks! So glad you liked it -- it was a lot of fun to make and it was great to be there for all three flights. The real shame is I still have about 600 unsold copies of the DVD up in a closet. LOL Since you know who Burt is, I'll link another video here. This was July 2005 at the Oshkosh AirVenture where SpaceShipOne was the star attraction. On the last day Burt and his crew did a presentation. Burt's wife helped us set this up, unknown to anyone else on the stage. Since I wrote and recorded the song at the end of the documentary on my PC in my dining room, this experience was most certainly one of those once-in-a-lifetime thrills. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--txE__3lVtg.htmlsi=vEcNXNwheXjzv_Iz
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This "film" (cough) is a promotional commercial for a kit plane company, video poorly shot on cheap equipment and audio horribly recorded. I'm sure you must be proud and protective of this piece of art. It's no Freddy Got Fingered, Mr DirectorProducer, lol. I wouldn't even want my name on it. And what exactly did you write? Did you stay up long hours write the brilliant script in which Burt and Mike describe how to properly lay up epoxy and cloth and relate other technical information? I love that line you wrote about how the temperature should be "between 75 and 85 degrees." Gives me chills every time bro. mmm
There are pros and cons but the main usp of starship is that it is almost a mass (relatively of course) produced item, while a homebuilt aircraft is the definition of a one off.
You would have to start with a correctly tensioned wire to note the frequency and then, if you changed the length, so would the frequency to obtain the correct tension. This would be a very bothersome process when you can simply do a test cut and simply loosen or tighten as needed.
All you do is tighten it while plucking it. Listen to the point where it no longer changes tune the tighter you go. This is the yeild-point of the steel. Which is the tightest you can go before it stretches and gets thinner and breaks.
It’s interesting that he says composites are the new state of the art in 1980. Nobody told Dick Van Grunsven. His company has produced more homebuilt kits than anyone with over 10000 having flown. Their construction? Aluminum and rivets. You go to oshkosh and you will see a handful of rutan designs and 500 or 600 RVs. Back in the 80s, when I was an Engineering student, I also thought composites would take over. But that’s not how things worked out at all.
Your prejudice is showing, Rv4 Guy! Dick and his folks make some excellent airplanes - no doubt! There are a lot of composite designs out there, though, and they've evolved from what Burt was doing in the '80s. If you want to keep it apples to apples, look at the numbers of scratch-built EZ variants with scratch built RVs. (At different times in my life I've had E Racer parts in my garage, as well as RV9 parts. Composite work is much easier on my disabled vet hands than driving rivets...I ended up donating my -9 tail kit to the local EAA chapter).
"State of the art" was an accurate description. Aluminum was "state of the art" in the Spitfire and ME-109. With the P-51 being the de facto standard for quality, flush riveted aluminum. It's interesting, that airplanes used to be made of fabric covered wood, and came full circle to being made almost entirely out of fabric. And Vans RVs have many yards of fiberglass in their construction. They themselves admit by their own use, composites make better aerodynamic parts. Cowling. Wing tips. Wheel pants. Canopy skirt. Tail fairings. Or anywhere a square aluminum box or soda can shape wont work well.
So I used to work for a subsidiary of Boeing doing factory floor automation in the high tech fibers in use 22 years ago... so I have been thinking about it... let's start with the core material, paper is made from scraps of cloth and paper.. junk mail fer example... I add water and grind in the blender... and add shellac to create a sticky mix and add AuPt dust a half cc/ liter.. found wherever water flows naturally... as the shellac water mix dry, it creates covalent bonds throughout the bio plastic... it's biodegradable... and absolutely non proprietary... shellac is the lingin and cellulose of bamboo... mix with paper and add H2O2 to the alcohol and mix in baking soda and spray the result into the form with screen... it creates CO2 gas inside the paper to make it flame-proof... paper can be slopped on and dried... or cut from larger pieces with a CNC milling machine... it's about as hard as copper.. 3 on the Moh's scale of hardness... add 2 layers of silk, wrapped in both directions, and spray shellac with AuPt to seal... it's light as a cork and stronger than steel A gift from my family to yours Enjoy Starfirediamondmines@gmail.com
At first, thought the comment was referring to the Periodic table: Au = Gold Pt = Platinum Two very expensive metals, so probably not used in paper mache.😮 Internet search shows it is a product for covalent bonding. Which is non-metals adhered on the atomic level by shared electrons. Neat stuff! Thanks!
Long EZ plans are no longer printed. The best bet to find them is to check the Aircraft Spruce Builder Forums or Trade-A-Plane for anyone selling their plans. But you should build a Cozy instead anyway. The plans are still available, the performance is just as good plus you have way more room. Lots of support: www.freeflightcomposites.com/rendezvous2019
I think you had to be an artist like a sculptor to do the plane correctly. The locals(aeronautical engineers building in their garages) around Mojave renamed it…VariTedious! I was building it and it was soooo time consuming. I finally got married and sold my stuff.
I love Burt Rutan's works and designs but I felt a sadness at 3:04 when the shock test didn't go as planned. I grew up watching his accomplishments and he is one of my few real heroes on my Wish to meet. The assistance in the shock test was awesome till I watched it the second time and realized Mr. Rutan was still a good 12 inches in the air when they were supposed to jump on the wing together. Yeah, call me crazy I just wanted to see the test and learn what would happen if you actually did something like that and now I'm going to have to look around and wind up buying some surplus and build something to test it myself. I feel like a child who went downstairs and found mom and dad setting up his new bike for christmas. i guess he should have had help with the demonstration from someone the same height and weight. It is a great video though. I will get over it. only now I am puzzled about structural designs survivable from extreme shock loads. Robotpig Thankyou for sharing this with us.
@Marshall McFarlin You missed the point. He built a horizontal stabilizer with composite and metal. The test was to show how strong the composite is. As an Aerospace structural engineer this test is FLAWED... you can make metal as strong or stronger than composite and composite can and has many disadvantages. However for the intent of the demo, it gave confidence that a strong structure can be made with his methods, and that is true.
They're on camera. Filming a video without a respirator isn't going to hurt you. Occupational hazards are named "occupational" hazards because they are hazards that are only present when you're doing it everyday as a job. Intermittent exposure is inconsequential. People that make you think that you need to wear SCBA gear, knee pads (for obvious reasons), and a condom, when your doing something one time, have no knowledge of EXPOSURE. You'd think it would be common sense to know that these hazards present themselves after long periods of exposure. But they think that if you do some fiberglass work in your garage, ONE TIME, that you'll end up with health problems. It takes years of exposure to cause health issues.
@Lawson Whitaker They were in a well ventilated shop and were working with small amounts of epoxy. I worked in a production composites shop where we worked with pre-impregnated fabrics as well as pure epoxy - we didn't wear respirators, either. No need.
@@xenonram What a load of frog-shit. If you are happy to expose yourself to asbestos, chlorine gas or any other toxic substance, that's fine but don't tell possibly uninformed youtubers such rubbish. D##khead!!
Actually Mike created it while working there along with a few other things.Burt was the dreamer with most of the off the wall ideas and financial connections and Arnold was one of the main guys making it all work so Burt looked good ;-)
Here's the problem with peel ply; the best layup really doesn't have adequate remaining epoxy to wet it out....so we add weight just to have peel ply. The best layup actually sands fairly easily.
Mike Arnold, though I never met him unfortunately, was a film maker first and foremost. He became a sailplane repair specialist to pursue his passion in aviation. He also worked on and built several Rutan designs, including infamous but brilliant Amsoil racer. (Source, Mike Arnolds own videos and lectures). He then designed his AR-5 approximately around the Super-Quickie Q1 (Ot shares that Rotax engine and mount design. And several other items match such as firewall and supports. Mike was brilliant and productive. His AR-6 set the absolute speed record at Reno in the IF1 class, and it will stand for all time. Another brilliant builder of Scaled fame is Cory Bird. See his excellent Symmetry of You want an idea of what is possible.
Burt was unhappy with the fabric available in the beginning so he worked with the manufacturers to redesign the weaving equipt so he could get what he wanted.
When joining perpendular sheets a radius curve using epoxy and cabosil paste then covering with peel ply letting it cure, remove peel ply apply glass tape. Sharp angle should be avoided.
@John Elliott - sorry man, no. Notice that they joined the panels with a structural epoxy (Epoxy and flocked cotton) that squeezed and made a fillet. Then they covered the joint with a fiberglass tape. No need to peel ply the fillet, then do the glass tape layup separately. Noting wrong with your process, except that it's more time consuming. Burt and Mike just did both of your parts in one step. Also note that flox is a better structural filler than cabosil.
For most joints, microballoons make a lighter fillet. The strength is through the glass fiber tapes. And micro is far stronger than the underlying foam, so little to no strength is lost. Unless micro gets smeared where it ends up under the glass tapes.
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*WHO INVENTED THE SPACE ENTERPRISE?* 1543 - Jesuits invent Theory Heliocentricism 1582 - Jesuits invent Heliocentric calendar (Pope Gregorian calendar) 1651 - Jesuits invent Moon features (Selenography) 1763 - Jesuits invent Theory Atomic Energy 1809 - Jesuits invent Theory Transmutation of Species (see Theory of Evolution) 1923 - Jesuits invent Theory Missing Link (bones lost molds prove find) 1931 - Jesuits invent Theory Big Bang (another ejaculation into the virgin source) ... As shown, the Judaeo-Freemasonry Vatican (Jesuits) instituted Heliocentricism (a corporation that has fooled billions of people) as the next centuries ticked by these science fiction stories began entering the major Universities (all faith based); from this point on the people were taught to replace Faith with Theory (pretend). ... Lets recap The Judaeo-Freemasonry Vatican (Jesuits), see crypto JEWs, sell two (2) products: 1. HEAVEN, this Faith based religion called Catholicism 2. SPACE, this Theory based religion called Heliocentricism
That technique is flawed. The micro slurry should be applied to the foam and then let to cure. After that it should be lightly sanded to knock off the nits that might protrude and catch the fabric. Your technique shown of putting the cloth on the slurry while it's still wet is all wrong. The epoxy resin applied will soak through the cloth and then into the slurry and go right past that and into the foam making a heavy structure. What should be done is to put a light coat of epoxy resin over the cured slurry, then the cloth and wet out the cloth with more resin on top of the cloth. Then squeegee the excess. Done..
There's actually a better way to keep it even lighter and stronger, and allows for more working time where the micro is mixed as dry as can be worked well and smoothly into the foam; in that manner micro cures more slowly and the nits can picked out adequately. Then, lay the glass down dry and met out only enough epoxy for each immediate swipe of the squeegee : its very quick and the layup bonds best to uncured micro. The problem avoided is that once too much epoxy gets somewhere its actually very hard to get it out; too much being any more than the best strength to weight ratio...usually no more than just over white....in some cases a low % whitish is fine.
WOW you showed Burt Rutan arguably one of the top aircraft designers in the last 100 years. Wow that must make you greatest... what have you ever done besides post on RU-vid?
The LongEZ first flew in 1979. This video, shot with a home 'movie camera,' was probably made in early 1980. This camera was probably 'State of the Art' for amateur's in 1980. It is so easy to criticize without first becoming a bit knowledgeable about the subject.
