Future technologies for aircraft construction

[karoliina]

Hi,

 

I have been thinking how the canard concept could be

improved further. The latest material and engine developments

might help to achieve something further from Cozy/Velo/etc.

 

The latest material developments are interesting. There

is a Finnish company called Nanolab systems which

is specialized in carbon nanotubes. With nanotubes it

could be possible to reduce the weight dramatically if

compared to the traditional composite materials.

The link to Nanolab systems is here:

http://www.nanolabsystems.com/

 

Another interesting technology is emerging in the engine

side. It is called Z-motor and invented in Finland.

The Z-motor does has similar efficiency than a two-stroke

engine but has the reliability of four stroke engine - it

is a four stroke engine. It means achieving reliable

high horse power with small weight, something that sounds

great for an aircraft engine.

Link to the Z-motor company Aumet Oy is here:

http://www.aumet.fi/

As usual, the problem with this kind of things is the lack

of funding and interest in the car industry. But how about

aircraft industry? Sounds very interesting at least to me.

 

I am having a image of a two place Cozy-variant which has

flaps (Starship-like flaps),

has stall speed of 62 km/h, weights 285 kg...

Actually the Z-motor invention is a diesel engine, so it

would use Jet-A1 instead. Alternatively how about six or eight

place Cozy variant (home built)

which would resemble Starship and

would still weight just the same as the original Cozy...??

There are many possibilities the lighter weight could

cause not to speak of the current design which could be propably

made lighter even with the current materials by reducing

weight carefully from places where it is not really needed.

 

The carbon nanotube composites might not be very cheap

at the moment, but it is not going to stay like that forever.

They are coming sooner or later and then even carbon fiber

can be considered as heavy material.

 

Best Wishes,

Karoliina

[Len Evansic]

I think carbon fiber is a good idea, but nanotubes are a very, very bad idea.

 

I read an article about two months ago about the horrible sickness and sometimes death that some of the early nanotube researchers had experienced. Apparently, unlike coal dust or asbestos that just sits in your lungs, nanotubes just start there and move anywhere they can in your body. They are not able to be digested or destroyed, and they are too sharp to be held captive by any cellular tissue. Making a plane of this material would necessarily cause lots of dust, most of which could touch unprotected skin or mucous membranes, and from there wreck havoc. Nanotubes are too new, and for now, too dangerous to use for anything. This technology is still in the stage of cavemen playing with fire, or Ben Franklin flying kites in thunderstorms. Unfortunately, it may take far longer for this stuff to ever become safe for mere mortals (not that lightning is).

 

The engine sounds good though.

 

-- Len