Stealth Pilot wrote:
On 19 Jul 2005 06:06:37 -0700, wrote:



Don't canard designs have a reputation for requiring a smooth
landing strip (paved, dry lakebed, etc) in order to take off
in a reasonable distance? Supposedly this is because a bumpy field
interferes with the establishment of laminar flow over the canard.

Seems like you'd have the same problem taking off from water.

I... it was basically a longeze with a
hovercraft skirt for amphibious use. slick brochures and all.
ignoring the absurdity of his snake oil, what became evident is that
the resistance of hitting any wave during takeoff would have caused a
pitch down of the aircraft which would have stalled the canard
immediately causing a nosedive beneath the next wave.

Hmm. ISTM that a canard does not stall when the aircraft pitches
down, it stalls when the aircraft pitches up. Thus each time the
aircraft hits a bump or wave the nose pitches up stalling the canard
so that the nose of the aircraft comes down hard into the next
wave or onto the next bump and then nosedives under the wave or
bounces higher and stalls again.

Thanks, now I have a much better understanding of the rough field
take-off problem with a canard.

--

FF



thank heavens no one ever bought one.
Stealth Pilot