Composite & Carbon Fiber

"NW_PILOT" wrote

I did not say copy it I said use the fuselage as a template

Still their intellectual property.

of course it
would be changed a bit from the original design for 1 it would be composit
not aluminum and the models I listed were an example. I see people are
making piper supercub's dose piper have a problem with it?


Are they still making Piper Cubs, and trying to sell them?


#2 problem. I quote: "if you plan on using the base airframe of a
certified
plane already , instead of building your framework from skratch, which
is
how I read your post....

What? This isn't a 52 Ford. You don't use the frame, and put a shell
on
it. You can't take away the frame, and still use it. The body is the
frame. If you take it away, you ARE starting from "skratch".

Why would you want to copy a 150? Boxy, ugly, no provisions for
mounting
to
stuff, probably, no angels and tapers from popping it out of the mold.
The
problems are too numerous to mention them all.

I just used them airplane model #'s for an example this is all
hypothetical
at the moment just an idea that my friend brought up to me thought I'd see
what you all thought. All I can say is this guy makes some nice custom car
body's/tubs and ahs a nice shop and offering to do it for cost of
materials.

There would be so much re-engineering that would have to be done, it would
not be the same airplane, except the shape. By the time you did all that,
why not come up with your own shape that takes advantage of the curves that
aluminum can not do? The loads that an airplane has to take would make a
simple copy, like car body tubs unsafe to fly. I'll bet that it would weigh
more in fiberglass if you did strenghten it enough.
--
Jim in NC



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On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 23:25:58 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:

"NW_PILOT" wrote

I did not say copy it I said use the fuselage as a template

Still their intellectual property.

of course it
would be changed a bit from the original design for 1 it would be composit
not aluminum and the models I listed were an example. I see people are
making piper supercub's dose piper have a problem with it?

Are they still making Piper Cubs, and trying to sell them?

Piper restarted Super Cub production in the late '80s...and, AFAIK, never
interfered with the Wag-Aero line other than to demand they quit using the
"Cuby" name. I doubt Boeing will sue Titan aircraft over their Mustang
replica.

I don't think Cessna will care if someone uses a Cessna fuselage as a mold
to built a one-of homebuilt. I think they'll *definitely* care if someone
enters production, claiming the plane is a replica 150....though Fisher
makes just such a claim for one of their planes. But the Fisher product
obviously isn't really look that much like a Cessna.

Keep in mind that a fiberglass mold of a Cessna fuselage would not, in
itself, be an airworthy structure. Any more than the Cessna would be
airworthy if the fuselage structure consisted of nothing more than the
external skin. That fiberglass shell will need the appropriate internal
structure. Bulkheads, etc., plus the hard points for wing, engine, tail,
and gear attachment.

Ron Wanttaja

"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message news
Keep in mind that a fiberglass mold of a Cessna fuselage would not, in
itself, be an airworthy structure.

Further, the question is, why would you want one anyhow. If you're going to all
the effort to make a composite shell, why would you pattern it after a 40+ year old
profile designed to be cheaply buildable in aluminum?