Opinions from the airplane experts

[Pitchy]

I`ve had this thought for a few years that i`m thinking abou[*] building next spring to experiance flying.
My thought is to bury a truck rear end in the ground leaving just one wheel exposed in which i would fasten a long cable say 100 yards long. Would then attach such cable to a wing of some home made sort with a engine and prop.
Where would one attach the cable on the plane, my thought would be the wing tip but then maybe on the frame of the plane. My concern with hooking to anywhere but the wingtip is the plane may want to pitch away from the cable.
Do you think this idea would work, it would have rudder and flap controls.
Do you think it would catch wind and go to high?
Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts

[Rimfire McNutjob]

OMG, are you talking about building a Cox fly-by-string type of setup in full human rideable scale? There should be a film crew from the Discovery channel that lives with you for a few years and documents your projects and adventures.

[jeepnik]

First though, is you'd have to find the center of gravity with any control surfaces in neutral. That way, it would neither climb or dive. You'd have to calculate in not only the "aircraft", but any fuel, cargo (passenger), etc. I think, like the old tethered models, you'd probably be better off with two points of attachment, as far apart from one another as possible.

P.S. Make darned sure your life and health insuance is up to date.

[86er]

If you have a single cable attached anywhere under the craft it may get caught or interfere with the wings and more specifically the ailerons or rudder. Also, in a loss of control it may interfere with the prop. Depending on your engine, you'd have to have a safe place for your pitot for the air flow sensors. You don't want damage, interference or a false reading. I have no idea of the actual viability of this but I think a "Y" attachment to the front and rear, with ample clearance for the wings would be safer and more efficient. Also, this would have to be tweaked depending on whether you have a high-wind or low-wing craft. I'm certified on Cherokee 165 and 180's that are low wing, single engine/prop. I haven't flow in several years but flew regularly for a small parts transportation company AirEast and in the Coast Guard. There are many pilots on the forum that are a lot more experienced than I that can give more advice with better logic.

[Pitchy]

I meant ailerons , and from a x crew chief
Crazy idea i know and i agree on the Y attachment, much better, also i think i`d have long ski like rails under the axle to keep it from nose diving or tumbling head over heals on landing.
Three or four feet of the ground would be high enough.
Don`t know if it will ever happen but wanted a few opinions on the subject so as to get a good start anyway.

Ok going on a picnic with the wife in the sidecar now, unbelievable for January

[PaperPatch]

Do not fly any higher....than you wish to fall.

[kimwcook]

Oh, brother, I've got to see this one. I have no doubt you can do it. No doubt at all. What have you been drinking this morning. There are a number of launch platforms along the lines your thinking for gliders. Should be able to google something up. You better take pictures or at least the wife can if'n you can't due to complications.

[Pitchy]

My other thought was a glider type wing pulled across the lake by a snowmobile.

[Grizz]

Here's an idea for ya:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzNKEhVKtJA

http://m-sandlin.info/

this one can be winch launched as you propose
it can also soar on thermals and do cross-country flights
and it's our style of construction... all the detail drawings
are available on this site.

here's a tow launch of the goat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9P6NlFWmyM

[El Chivo]

The 2012 Darwin Awards

And this year's Darwin Award goes to a man who wanted to experience flying in his own back yard. He buried a truck rear end in the center of the yard with one wheel exposed, and tied a cable 100 yards long to a homemade airplane consisting of a wing, a seat, an engine with prop, and elevator controls.

Once the tethered contraption became airborne, it immediately became unstable because of the engine torque and the difficulty of balancing the tether. Witnesses say (a video has been posted on YouTube) the plane pitched up and down wildly until it went nose-first into the ground. Surprisingly enough the pilot was known as "Pitchy" to his friends.

Condolences and remembrances can be posted in the tributes forum at http://www.leverguns.com.

---------------------------------------------------------

Why not just buy an ultralight and take it up in the desert or salt flats? There are probably clubs or instructors to help you fly it safely. If you want to make one I'm sure there are kits and plans.

Flying is a straightforward and educable task that many people do as an accomplishment so why not take some flying lessons in a real plane? I think the feeling of freedom you would get by really being airborne would beat the feel of a tethered contraption and not make you dizzy.

[J Miller]

Pitchy,

I can appreciate your ideas and wants, but, how about a tethered hot air balloon? I think that might be a lot more do-able and safer to boot.

Joe

[Pitchy]

Ok, ok, maybe one of these.

[Pitchy]

Thanks for the links Grizz, the goat looks like it would do the trick.
The rest of ya, thanks for the encouragement and warnings.
My thought like paperpatch said, don`t go any higher than ya want to fall.

[Rusty]

Actually I hate to rain on the growing parade of those who say it can't be done, but it already has been done... with a J-3 Piper Cub.

Many, many years ago there was an article in Popular Mechanics about the Piper Cub and how robust it was/is. The story there was that one Cub owner didn't have room for a landing strip at his house so he made a setup like a giant Maypole that he would tether to and fly round and round until he reached the proper airspeed at which time he would release the line and fly off to where ever he wanted to go.

[Pitchy]

Actually I hate to rain on the growing parade of those who say it can't be done, but it already has been done... with a J-3 Piper Cub.

Many, many years ago there was an article in Popular Mechanics about the Piper Cub and how robust it was/is. The story there was that one Cub owner didn't have room for a landing strip at his house so he made a setup like a giant Maypole that he would tether to and fly round and round until he reached the proper airspeed at which time he would release the line and fly off to where ever he wanted to go.

Hmmmm

[adirondakjack]

Build ya a rag wing plane andd tow it with a snowmobile. Be ready to die if it goes bad.

A local fellow built a kit ultralight. His wife and kids watched as he took it off on it's first (and last) flight in the back yard. It pitched up, lost lift and nosedived into the ground, killing him instantly. He HAD been warned. The local pilots had all told him "Yer name isn't Wilber or Orville, go to flight school". But he was a very independent, very stubborn FOOL who allowed his family to witness his demise.

[Pitchy]

Build ya a rag wing plane andd tow it with a snowmobile. Be ready to die if it goes bad.

A local fellow built a kit ultralight. His wife and kids watched as he took it off on it's first (and last) flight in the back yard. It pitched up, lost lift and nosedived into the ground, killing him instantly. He HAD been warned. The local pilots had all told him "Yer name isn't Wilber or Orville, go to flight school". But he was a very independent, very stubborn FOOL who allowed his family to witness his demise.

Edit, took it to a pm. better that way.

[jnyork]

During WW1, the French hoisted artillery observers aloft quite aways up in huge box kites. Might work for you?

[Pitchy]

Build ya a rag wing plane andd tow it with a snowmobile. Be ready to die if it goes bad.

A local fellow built a kit ultralight. His wife and kids watched as he took it off on it's first (and last) flight in the back yard. It pitched up, lost lift and nosedived into the ground, killing him instantly. He HAD been warned. The local pilots had all told him "Yer name isn't Wilber or Orville, go to flight school". But he was a very independent, very stubborn FOOL who allowed his family to witness his demise.

Edit, took it to a pm. better that way.

We`re Pals.

[Canuck Bob]

Edit: Deleted because as usual way too much info and an answer to the wrong question.

[KirkD]

I`ve had this thought for a few years that i`m thinking abou[*] building next spring to experiance flying.
My thought is to bury a truck rear end in the ground leaving just one wheel exposed in which i would fasten a long cable say 100 yards long. Would then attach such cable to a wing of some home made sort with a engine and prop

Pitchy, that sounds like an awesome amount of fun. I'd love to see you fire that thing up when it was built, but I'd be standing behind a tree in case that 100 yard cable let go. It is a good thing that you and I weren't neighbours when we were growing up, or the two if us would have gotten into so much trouble I hate to even think about it! ..... but we would sure have had a lot of fun doing it!

[Pitchy]

Thanks for the info Bob but i`m not interested in actual flying, i went through that temptation a few years back and decided it wasn`t for me.
What i`m talking about is a low, very low glide, once when searching some of the Wright bros experiments i found a vid of a non powered wing a guy built. He layed down on it and they pulled him across a field with a truck very slow. I think they only went 20 mph and it just floated alone a foot off the ground.
I`m not quite crazy enough yet to commit suicide guys.

Kirk i think your right.

[Canuck Bob]

Fair enough Pitchy. Then the key is to balance the thing and not over control the nose. In reality you are describing a homemade carnival ride. In that case maybe a cleverly designed support bridle might work like a charm and a lifting wing is not required. The redneck rocket scientists on TV are my favorites and they actually built a submarine out of ag chemical cubes and trolling motors!

Edit: Great vid, here is one of a 1960s Bowers Flybaby. Mine is undergoing restoration but will be very similar when done. Wood and wire flying, kinda like lever shooting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgdzGnOmyaA

[Pitchy]

This is cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGiYz6PCaVo

[adirondakjack]

My name isn't Orville, but I have built a fair number of large RC airplanes and designed a couple of em. if you stick to a flat-bottomed wing of fair size, and have a long enough tail with a big enough horizontal stabilizer and elevator to assure control, YES low speed "ground effect" flight (not over one wing Chord high, the chord being the front to back 'width" of the wing and yeah, that will likely be fairly safe, at least as safe as a Harley and a sidecar. Good luck in your research.

[Pitchy]

My name isn't Orville, but I have built a fair number of large RC airplanes and designed a couple of em. if you stick to a flat-bottomed wing of fair size, and have a long enough tail with a big enough horizontal stabilizer and elevator to assure control, YES low speed "ground effect" flight (not over one wing Chord high, the chord being the front to back 'width" of the wing and yeah, that will likely be fairly safe, at least as safe as a Harley and a sidecar. Good luck in your research.

Thanks bro, i don`t know how soon i`ll get to it but i`ve had an itch to experience low flight for a long time.

[FatJackDurham]

Rusty - spinning launch? Seriously? Can you dig up a link?

Adirondack Jack - that is terrible. A fellow died here last year in a kit built helicopter. He had take lessons, but the engine died during a landing pass.

Pitchy - I have always wanted to fly since high school. My high school had a AFJROTC unit with an actual singer link trainer. I learned to fly that. In 2001, I went to mobile Alabama and took a week of flight lessons in an ultralight from a guy that builds them. Best week of my life.

I don't understand the purpose of the truck and wheel rig. Is that for a puller type take off? Sounds complicated.

Have you considered building a hang glider type ultralight with a seat? You could practice on low slope hills before powering it. Might be your cheapest build.

If you're a regular Doc Brown, you might check into a ground effect vehicle. Depending on where you have to fly it, ie, no fences, posts, wires, wide open flat, it's a fixed wing plane that flies in a perpetual stall, floating on the turbulent air cushion.

I wish you safety and luck. It's been ten years since I last flew in the ultra light and I have been mulling over building a flight simulator with a spare computer, thre used projectors and a 1 to 3 matrox display splitter.

[Pitchy]

No place near that i know of to use a glider as we live in the woods, some big fields around but no hills.
Rusty wonder how that guy hooks that cable back up for the landing.
All i want to do is lift off the ground, i was thinking about a glider wing on a trailer behind the truck. Cable from truck to plane and cable from plane to trailer just long enough to let it lift a couple feet.
I know this all sounds silly but i just want to try something real basic just so i can say i did it.

[Grizz]

Pitchy,

the goat is a form of primary glider. this sounds like what you're after. if you do a search on primary gliders you will find lots of examples.

there are two ways to tether an aircraft so you can "fly" (sort-of) while attached to the ground. both rely on local winds to operate. one way is to fly the plane on a towline like a kite, allowing the oncoming wind to provide the lift. this is not uncommon, but could get complicated if you overran your tether.

another setup I've seen is to place the aircraft on a pylon such that it is on a ball hitch type arrangement over the AC CG that allows the aircraft to have full flight control operation while fixed aground. kind of like an open-air link trainer.

hope you are inspired. perhaps a rogallo wing over your sidehack would get that sensation you're seeking, something that might fit into waterworld tech.

[FatJackDurham]

No place near that i know of to use a glider as we live in the woods, some big fields around but no hills.
Rusty wonder how that guy hooks that cable back up for the landing.
All i want to do is lift off the ground, i was thinking about a glider wing on a trailer behind the truck. Cable from truck to plane and cable from plane to trailer just long enough to let it lift a couple feet.
I know this all sounds silly but i just want to try something real basic just so i can say i did it.

Doesn't sound silly, sounds fun.

What about a home made hang glider type, and you could start running with it attached to the truck with a Y cable. First run with a dead weight attached and let it fly on its own to test stability, a regular kite.

Once you get it stable in flight and the driver has experience with a steady speed, you can try holding on...

[Nath]

If this has it's own engine and prop, just off set it so it is always pulling on the line. Line stay's tight and nothing gets snagged!

N.