Proairsport. New ultra light glider/airplane

"...kinda cute" - It is!

Bob K. says the intake is too small and, from the looks of it, I'd
agree. Maybe they'll incorporate spring loaded plenum doors which suck
in at low airspeed to provided the necessary air for the engine. As
airspeed and plenum pressure increase the doors close and ram pressure
provides all the needed air. I am a bit concerned, however, at having a
jet engine with as much as 1,000 deg C tail pipe temperature imbedded in
a FRP structure. Or is it a turbofan with a lot of bypass air to keep
things moderately cool?

CGI makes for a pretty airplane, but I'm not convinced of its viability.

On 3/17/2015 9:57 AM, jfitch wrote:
On Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 8:46:24 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
I didn't see an intake for that jet...




On 3/16/2015 7:56 PM, GR8 wrote:



http://www.proairsport.com/





--

Dan Marotta
"Turning the engine on (and off) is a simple automated procedure. A small airscoop is all that opens (and closes), the engine itself remains inside the fuselage, so in flight the turbine can be turned on and off easily with glide performance little affeced."

It is kinda cute.

--
Dan Marotta

"ProAirsport is currently building two demonstration aircraft (one each for the UK and US markets) with inaugural flights expected in September/October of 2015."

http://www.gizmag.com/glow-glider-mi...irsport/36549/

They're also talking about a soaring engine-off UAV version. Investors must like idea.

Other planes/developers have previously demonstratred XC soaring with autopilots in model size gliders.

They say that the wings are proven components off-the-shelf (COTS). Might that be the PW_5 wing? Best L/D is similar.

Oh, goodie!

I can buy one and sit at home while it flies and streams video to my
smart TV. Shucks, it'll probably post better cross country flights than
I've been doing...

On 3/17/2015 11:39 AM, son_of_flubber wrote:
"ProAirsport is currently building two demonstration aircraft (one each for the UK and US markets) with inaugural flights expected in September/October of 2015."

http://www.gizmag.com/glow-glider-mi...irsport/36549/

They're also talking about a soaring engine-off UAV version. Investors must like idea.

Other planes/developers have previously demonstratred XC soaring with autopilots in model size gliders.

They say that the wings are proven components off-the-shelf (COTS). Might that be the PW_5 wing? Best L/D is similar.

--
Dan Marotta

Curious what wings it's using. From the "airframe section" on their webpage, sorta sounds like they're using wings that are already "JAR certified", thus on an existing aircraft......

On Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 1:56:56 PM UTC-4, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Curious what wings it's using. From the "airframe section" on their webpage, sorta sounds like they're using wings that are already "JAR certified", thus on an existing aircraft......

isn't it obvious? they look suspiciously similar to PW5 wings, and have the same span....

Neat, but what I wanna know is if I can use the electric motor to spin the wheels up before landing so I don't have to hear that screech and smell burning rubber when touching down on asphalt runways;-)

Seriously though, I'm wondering if they're keeping the electric motor light by relying on the fact that it will be used only for short bursts with long periods of rest. Sort of like a starter motor, it seems to me they could get the power they need in a lighter motor by running it at much higher than it's rated continuous output because it will do so only for a short time and then have a long cool odd period.