ultralight canards?

[woodman_princess]

I am interested in UL aircraft. The only UL canard I can find is the C.P. 150 Onyx. I can't seem to find anyone who has built one. I would appreciate any advice you expert canard enthusiasts can give me.

 

My question is....

 

1. Are there any other UL canards available? Plans or Kits?

 

2. Has anyone every built a Onyx? Besides C.P. himself?

[Jon Matcho]

Research the Falcon XP www.aerofalcon.com to see what you can find.

[JETninja]

I also remember in the 80's one called the "Goldwing".....it was a very nice flying a/c IIRC......

[Richard Riley]

There's the Waspair Tomcat - but I'm only posting this as a warning. The Tomcat is an extremely dangerous aircraft. There are a few around and occasionally show up for sale - DON'T. It can and often does get into a spiral and doesn't have the control authority to get out.

 

The Pterdactyl is a pretty nice little airplane, Dave Froble (who builds them now) is a good guy. http://www.geocities.com/pterodactylclub/

[bvarga]

I have a Tomcat I hear all this rumor that they are not safe, is there any think i can do to upgrade them, I here they have spirral tendancies but all the accidnet reports i read its wither a crosswind or a tree that caused the crash. I am a pilot and have not flown it yet, Bob

[bvarga]

Are there any upgrades to improve the safety record of teh tomcat,

[Richard Riley]

No, there aren't. They weren't valuable enough to spend time and money (and risk pilot's lives) to try to develop a fix. The problem is inherent in the control system.

 

You could try changing it to a conventional tail, but that would be building a whole new plane.

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Uhhhh.....

 

ANY Pterodactyl:

http://vula2.org/images/land_planes/Pterodactyl/

 

 

And Eagles:

http://vula2.org/images/land_planes/

 

Gary in Pennsylvania

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

These too.

 

And I REALLY dig that third one. It's reminiscent of the Waspair Tomcat.

 

Gary in Pennsylvania

[Richard Riley]

These too.

 

And I REALLY dig that third one. It's reminiscent of the Waspair Tomcat.

 

Gary in Pennsylvania

You say that as if it's a good thing

[Big Steve]

There are people out there that have the nerve to fly in stuff like that? I need something around me to make me al least feel safe. STeve:D

[Jon Matcho]

Right... there's something about loosely covered tube and fabric ultralights that just doesn't make me feel comfortable either. Don't get me wrong -- ultralight canards are most definitely welcome here -- but I, at least, would need something that is VERY high quality before I would get in it. Looking at some of those pics I found myself wondering, "what if that thing came off?"

[msogren]

 

This is my Ul canard/tandem wing

MM

[Richard Riley]

That is very interesting. Please, tell us more!

[rickh]

There are people out there that have the nerve to fly in stuff like that? I need something around me to make me al least feel safe. STeve:D

Neighbor stopped by to see my progress, said it looked like a coffin. Ehhh.

Pilot buddy says the flying lawn chairs are pretty safe. He's also the one that hauls me around as ballast in his Citabria. I poke at the [3 mil?] fuse skin as we buzz around sideways at 5000 AGL.

 

And I hope to be flying at 200 MPH, with one layer of 3/8" foam holding my arse up, and keeping said arse away from the ground. Cool, ain't it

 

Oh, and a 180 HP Torque-O-matic engine strapped to said 3/8" piece of foam via a 1/4" sheet of plywood and a couple of strips of fiberglass

 

Rick

[Big Steve]

Rick:

 

You forgot to mention how many pieces of fiberglass those little 1/4" bolts pass through that are holding you skinny little arse up in the air. Lots and lots of fiberglass. Tell me how I know? My coffin is getting a wind shield soon. STeve

[Edge 513]

Well said Steve.

[msogren]

coffins are larger...

MY Ul canard is ; 260#

has ladders for spars

4130 tube fuse

foam/ glass faced ribs

about 144sq ft area

43015 foil, both wings, all ribs are tha same

35hp

leaves the ground @ 36mph/ 125 ft, at 75 degrees f ,1000 ft air density

 

I am now building a floating fuse of folded aluminum/ foam/ glass faced float

I will have plans for the fuse soon.

Mike Ogren , FL.

[Edge 513]

Your posting from Florida, and stating you are intending to do water landings by building a floating 'fuse' that is loosely similar to something called a coffin...makes me think you are going to provide a "One-Stop-Shop"/ service for the alligators when you land out there in the 'Glades.

Tell me it aint sooo....!!!!! YOW!

Theres a LOT of water in Florida- should be quite fun!

[Big Steve]

Is that what folks in Florida call "Gator Bait"?

[Curt Claudio]

On 2/9/2007 at 1:36 AM, bvarga said:

I have a Tomcat I hear all this rumor that they are not safe, is there any think i can do to upgrade them, I here they have spirral tendancies but all the accidnet reports i read its wither a crosswind or a tree that caused the crash. I am a pilot and have not flown it yet, Bob

Hi Bob, I am currently making a documentary about a man who died in an accident in a Tomcat in 1981. I'd like to ask you some questions about the Tomcat if possible. The documentary is called Finding Claudio and the website is www.findingclaudio.com. Please contact me if you are interested info@findingclaudio.com, thanks

[Kent Ashton]

5 hours ago, Curt Claudio said:

Hi Bob, I am currently making a documentary about a man who died in an accident in a Tomcat in 1981. I'd like to ask you some questions about the Tomcat if possible. The documentary is called Finding Claudio and the website is www.findingclaudio.com. Please contact me if you are interested info@findingclaudio.com, thanks

This is a thread from 2007.  BVarga last visited this site Feb, 2007 and made two posts.

[Elpie]

I survived the crash of a Waspair Tomcat in July 4, 1984. It had been brought to the Philippines by an American friend of mine from Wisconsin. I had not flown any aircraft before that time , neither did I have formal lessons in flying. At 32, I was full of bravado to even try and learn to fly an ultralight without training. Before that fateful day, I had already flown the Tomcat in and around our airport in Cagayan de Oro City. On that day, I had done at least four circuits along the runway and was confident enough. My near fatal mistake happened on take off on my fifth flight. I did not realize that at that time, a crosswind was observed. The windsock was not visible from the runway takeoff point as there was a lot of tall grass and banana plants nearby. As I reached an elevation of around a hundred feet after rotation, I felt the strong crosswind cause the plane to yaw to the left and the main wing lift on the right side. My instinct was to get the plane leveled but the canard wing couldnt counteract the crosswind. I also cut the power significantly such as the plane just stalled and dove to the ground at around 60mph.  I was pinned to the ground by the wreck before my friends rescued me. I broke four ribs, my pelvis, clavicle and humerus. Two of my vertebrae were compressed. I live to this day with my right arm socket loose. As I just read tonight the accounts of the Waspair Tomcat being involved in many accidents including fatal ones, I am lucky to have survived . I do have pictures and videos including that of the crash.  Regards to all

Elpidio M. Paras, 

Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

PS: Months later, a commercial pilot friend of mine died in a canard Goldwing in Manila. I had told him how my canard Tomcat almost got me killed. He and his pilot friends just laughed as they knew I was not even a pilot trainees...