Things are moving along as we close in on the day we're moving the aircraft up to the airport. Many little jobs still need to be done and a whole lot of primer yet to be sprayed but it's all happening.
IIRC you have designed tie downs that will be attached to the wing but something that's almost always forgotten in a new buildi is jacking points. Anyone who has to lift one of your aircraft will be thankful if you add jacking points before you close the wings out.
Main landing gear doors question. At 7:37 you show the two gear door halves under the gear strut. When the main gear strut flexes during a hard landing, will the layup joining the two main gear door halves also flex ? Or does the hydraulic ram lifting the gear act as a dampener inside the fuselage thus preventing the main gear strut from flexing and possibly breaking the layup joint ?
Another little tidbit of info is that cover plates on composite aircraft are commonly held on with nothing more than white silicone caulk. Easy off for service (or deployed 'chute) and stays on in flight.
I've been watching the progress for a few years and I'm getting excited. I have had a dream of doing something along these line and this is a great dose of reality. To the airport soon and then to the skies!
Interesting project, look forward to taxi, test flights and performance. A couple thoughts on composite layup techniques, albeit looks like very few layups are left on this project. -don’t add epoxy to the peel ply until after initial stippling with brush and a bit of hairdryer heat to see if enough epoxy is avail in layup to wet out pp, then add more if needed. -shorten chip brush bristles by about a half inch, a slightly stiffer brush makes for more effective stippling of layups. -per Rutan technique 90 degree inside corner layups should start with filleting with dry micro, this allows a more structural path for the reinforcements. Prob not necessary with non structural layups.
The Raptor will most indubitably be one of the most awesome, most beautiful, most sexy and full featured General Aviation Aircraft in the world once completed. Just the 5-bladed prop alone...TONS OF WOW FACTOR/"EYE CANDY"! When I mention "FULL FEATURED", at least for the American Market: *Safety features/BRS implementation and Canard/Shoulkder harness type seat belts- *Cannot remember, but I think FADEC for reduced work load, optimal fuel economy- (?) *5-place- *Spacious Cabin/Plenty of shoulder, hip and leg room for all on board- *Comfortable seating w/back and thigh support for those long x-country trips- *Ergonomically friendly, well placed flight controls, switches, over-head switches, unobstructed visual of all flight instruments- *Side mounted Control Sticks w/ergonomically friendly handles/PTT + Trim adjustment I believe (?), creating more room, over-all reduced obstruction- *Insanely sexy throttle quadrant- *Easy to see, friendly on the eyes indicator lights- *Powerful/Turbo Charged, very capable, rear mounted power-plant for a more quiet cabin and more clear forward visability- *Charging and head-set ports throughout- *Retractable Landing Gear- *Aerodynamic/Excellent "Ramp Appeal"- *One of my personal favorites, PRESSURIZED CABIN! So much more of course, but the above is what personally/immediately catches my attention/interests. Happy/Safe Flying!
I was thinking about how cool it will be to fly the Raptor around to visit different parts of the country. And then a thought came to mind. How do you tie it down when visiting another airport or are you required to hanger it? Does it tie down on the nose and also under the wings since it's sorta backward from a traditional airplane? I haven't heard you talk about tie down mounts.
there are tie downs on the bottom of the wings i believe Peter said. They are not in place yet i dont think they go between the main wing and the tanks. I believe you would also tie down from the nose as well so there three points of tie down. Edit. I did not know they were called wet wings. I just remember him calling them strake tanks. So that what i meant. the tie downs are between the strake tanks and the main wing.
@@TransamJc, thanks for that. But the Raptor has wet wings. There are no tanks in the wings, the wings are the tanks. I'm sure Peter can confirm for us.
For those not fully paying attention, the fuel is in the strakes, the strake fences with the integrated tie down did not end up fitting in between the strake and wing so instead we added a tie down tab with hole in it to the wing right where it meets the strake. If you look carefully you can see it. The nose gear does not yet have a dedicated tie down point but for now it's easy enough to tie around the towing attach point.
The vne is gonna be un usually higher you see. It's stiff as can be. What thinks thee? I watched you make the wing spars. I'm not sure on the taillets. I assume this would be the first point of flutter at high knots?
