What makes the North Wing Maverick KS 15.2M stand out in the ultralight trike market. How does its design and features cater to both experienced pilots and newcomers. What innovations has Kamron Blevins introduced with this single-place ultralight trike wing.
The Evolution of North Wing Design: From Sailmaking to Ultralight Trikes
North Wing Design, founded by Kamron Blevins, has come a long way from its humble beginnings in hang glider sail manufacturing. The company’s journey reflects the evolving landscape of recreational aviation and the innovative spirit of its founder.
Blevins, now 37, started his sailmaking enterprise at the young age of 23. Over the past 15 years, he has honed his skills and expanded his expertise, working with various manufacturers while nurturing his own business. This diverse experience has given him a unique perspective on the market and its needs.
From Hang Gliders to Ultralight Trikes
The transition from hang glider sails to complete ultralight trikes was a natural progression for North Wing Design. As Blevins observed his peers in the hang gliding community aging and seeking new flying experiences, he recognized the potential for a product that could cater to a broader range of pilots.
- Some pilots began adding wheels to their hang gliders for safety
- Others transitioned to trikes with hang glider-type wings
- Many switched entirely to ultralight aircraft
This shift in the market presented an opportunity for North Wing Design to expand its offerings and serve a diverse customer base.
The Maverick KS 15.2M: A Game-Changing Ultralight Trike
The North Wing Maverick KS 15.2M represents a significant leap forward in ultralight trike design. This single-place aircraft combines the best elements of hang glider technology with the convenience and stability of a trike configuration.
Innovative Design Features
What sets the Maverick apart from other ultralight trikes? Several key design elements contribute to its unique performance and handling characteristics:
- Strut-braced wing design
- Absence of upper support structure
- Powerful 40-hp Rotax 447 engine
- Advanced stability devices
These features work together to create an aircraft that is both lightweight and robust, capable of delivering an exhilarating flying experience while maintaining a high level of safety.
Power and Performance: The Heart of the Maverick
At the core of the Maverick’s impressive performance is its powerplant. How does the engine contribute to the aircraft’s capabilities?
The Maverick is equipped with a potent 40-hp Rotax 447 engine, providing ample power for this lightweight ultralight. This engine choice strikes an ideal balance between power output and weight, ensuring that the Maverick can deliver strong climb performance and efficient cruising.
Engine Mount and Integration
The engine installation on the Maverick showcases North Wing’s attention to detail and commitment to modern design principles. Notable features include:
- A substantial motor mount finished with white powder coating
- Dynafocal-type engine mounting system
- Clean and efficient integration with the trike frame
The dynafocal mounting system aims at the center of the engine’s mass, reducing vibration and improving overall aircraft stability.
Comfort and Safety: Prioritizing the Pilot Experience
How does the Maverick ensure pilot comfort during extended flights? The aircraft’s seating and restraint system have been carefully designed with both comfort and safety in mind.
The Maverick’s seat features:
- Generous cushioning
- Supportive seatback
- Padded side walls
- 4-point shoulder harness restraint system
This combination of comfort-enhancing features and robust safety measures ensures that pilots can enjoy long flights without fatigue while remaining securely positioned in the aircraft.
Thoughtful Storage Solutions
Drawing on their experience in sailmaking, North Wing has incorporated numerous zipper compartments throughout the aircraft. These storage areas allow pilots to conveniently stow personal items and flight gear, enhancing the practical usability of the Maverick for various types of flights.
Stability and Control: Mastering the Art of Flexible Wing Flight
How does the Maverick achieve stability without a conventional tail section? North Wing has employed several innovative solutions to ensure pitch stability and controlled flight characteristics:
- Dive stick: This device holds the wing tip up, promoting later stall at the tip compared to the midsection.
- Sprog: A lever mechanism that braces two wing ribs, providing additional support to the midspan area.
- Strut-braced wing design: Offers structural support while maintaining flexibility.
These stability devices work in concert to provide a stable platform for flight while preserving the responsive handling characteristics that pilots appreciate in flexible wing aircraft.
Control Systems and Ergonomics
The Maverick’s control layout prioritizes ergonomics and safety. Key controls are positioned for easy access without compromising in-flight security:
- Hand throttle located in front of the seat
- Choke control within easy reach
- Kill switch nestled between gusset plates to prevent accidental activation
This thoughtful arrangement of controls allows pilots to maintain precise command of the aircraft while minimizing the risk of unintended inputs.
Chassis and Landing Gear: Balancing Simplicity and Functionality
The Maverick’s chassis and landing gear design exemplify North Wing’s approach to aircraft construction: simple, effective, and well-executed. How does this philosophy translate into practical features?
Seat Support and Structure
Beneath the contoured seats, the Maverick employs a straightforward yet effective support system:
- Series of webbing straps for strength
- Plywood panels for added firmness and comfort
This design provides a solid foundation for the pilot while keeping weight to a minimum and simplifying maintenance and repairs.
Landing Gear Innovations
The Maverick’s landing gear incorporates several features that enhance ground handling and safety:
- Dampened wheel movement: A piston system reduces bouncing and improves steering responsiveness.
- Nosewheel brake: A metal pad over the tire provides effective braking capability.
- Robust construction: Ensures durability for various landing conditions.
These elements combine to create a landing gear system that is both simple and highly functional, catering to the needs of pilots operating from a variety of surfaces.
Materials and Finish: Balancing Form and Function
The Maverick’s construction showcases North Wing’s expertise in material selection and finishing techniques. How do these choices contribute to the aircraft’s overall quality and appeal?
Strategic Use of Finishes
North Wing has employed a mix of finishes to enhance both the appearance and durability of the Maverick:
- White powder coating on the motor mount and main structure
- Satin finish anodizing on the chassis-to-wing mount
- High-quality hardware throughout
This combination of finishes not only protects the aircraft from corrosion and wear but also creates an aesthetically pleasing appearance that reflects the Maverick’s quality construction.
Attention to Detail
Throughout the Maverick, evidence of North Wing’s commitment to quality craftsmanship is apparent:
- Precise fitment of components
- Clean welds and joints
- Thoughtful integration of systems and controls
These details contribute to the overall reliability and longevity of the aircraft while instilling confidence in pilots who choose the Maverick as their ultralight trike.
Market Position and Appeal: Catering to a Diverse Pilot Community
How does the Maverick KS 15.2M fit into the current ultralight market? North Wing has positioned this aircraft to appeal to a broad spectrum of pilots, from experienced hang glider enthusiasts to newcomers to recreational aviation.
Bridging the Gap
The Maverick serves as a bridge between traditional hang gliding and powered ultralight flight, offering:
- Familiar wing design for hang glider pilots
- Increased stability and ease of use for less experienced aviators
- Power and performance to satisfy thrill-seekers
- Comfort and convenience for those seeking a more relaxed flying experience
This versatility allows the Maverick to cater to a wide range of pilot preferences and skill levels, potentially expanding the market for ultralight trikes.
Value Proposition
What makes the Maverick an attractive option for potential buyers? Several factors contribute to its appeal:
- Innovative design features
- High-quality construction
- Versatile performance characteristics
- Comfortable and safe pilot environment
- Reputation of North Wing Design in the industry
By offering a unique combination of features and leveraging their expertise in wing design, North Wing has created an ultralight trike that stands out in a competitive market.
The Future of North Wing Design: Building on Success
With the introduction of the Maverick KS 15.2M, North Wing Design has demonstrated its ability to innovate and adapt to changing market demands. How might this success influence the company’s future direction?
Potential Areas for Growth
Several avenues for expansion and development could be explored by North Wing:
- Development of two-seat variants of the Maverick
- Integration of advanced materials for weight reduction
- Exploration of electric propulsion options
- Expansion into related ultralight aircraft categories
By continuing to leverage their expertise in wing design and trike construction, North Wing is well-positioned to remain at the forefront of ultralight aviation innovation.
Nurturing the Pilot Community
Beyond product development, North Wing has the opportunity to foster a community around their aircraft. Potential initiatives could include:
- Organizing fly-in events for Maverick owners
- Developing training programs for new pilots
- Creating online resources for maintenance and flight techniques
- Collaborating with other manufacturers to promote ultralight aviation
By engaging with their customer base and the broader aviation community, North Wing can strengthen their brand and contribute to the growth of recreational flying.
The North Wing Maverick KS 15.2M represents a significant milestone in the evolution of ultralight trikes. By combining innovative design features with high-quality construction and a deep understanding of pilot needs, North Wing has created an aircraft that appeals to a wide range of aviators. As the company continues to build on this success, the future looks bright for both North Wing Design and the pilots who choose to fly their aircraft.
Maverick – ByDanJohnson.com
POWERFUL SINGLE – The single-seat Maverick is powered by a potent 40-hp Rotax 447 that provides plenty of power for this lightweight ultralight. That’s designer Kamron Blevins at the control bar.
BURLY MOUNT – Made clean with white power paint, the substantial motor mount of the Maverick reassures potential buyers. The work is simply achieved but shows modern features, like the dynafocal-type engine mount that aims at the center of the engine’s mass.
PADDED SEAT – The Maverick’s seat shows concern about comfort with generous cushion, seatback and side wall padding. But it also pays attention to safety with this properlooking 4-point shoulder harness pilot restraint system.
STABILITY DEVICES – On a flexible flying wing with no tail, other means are needed to assure pitch stability. Here you see two of the ways North Wing solves the problem: A “dive stick” holds the wing tip up to help the tip stall later than the midsection, while the midspan is supported by this “sprog” lever that braces two wing ribs.
SHINY BITS – In contrast to its white powder coating, North Wing chose satin finish anodizing for this chassis-to-wing mount. All the hardware shows good attention to detail.
SIMPLE STRUCTURE – Under the contoured seats are simple support devices. A series of webbing straps provides plenty of strength while plywood panels impart some firmness to increase human comfort. Simple but effective.
TIDY CONTROLS – Tucked down neatly in front of the seat are your hand throttle, choke control and kill switch (arrow). The latter is nestled between two gusset plates in such a way that inadvertent bumping of the switch in-flight is unlikely.
WHOLE AIRCRAFT – From his days making wings for trikes, Kamron Blevins has now branched into producing entire trike ultralights, like this new Maverick with its strut-braced wing.
NORTH WING – With a return to Washington state, North Wing Design earns the name chosen by owner Kamron Blevins, who started in this business making hang glider sails.
SLOW AND STOP – At the left edge of the photo you see the piston (arrow) used to dampen wheel movement, a desirable addition to trike steering. Also, you can see the metal pad (over tire) that serves as a nosewheel brake.
STASH POINTS – Since North Wing started as a sailmaker, perhaps it isn’t surprising to see where the company added lots of zipper compartments for the pilot to stow things in flight.
All right, what is this? A trike with no upper support? What does the designer think he’s doing, trying to be some kind of maverick? Well, yeah!
Kamron Blevins runs the show at North Wing Design. When I first met him, I’d call him a mere lad, except that makes me sound old. So, Kamron was a “young entrepreneur” from the Seattle area who made hang glider sails for a living. (His mom probably thought this sounded like as odd an occupation as you think it does.)
Funny thing, though. The kid grew up, got good at making wings, branched into trike wings, and now manufactures entire trikes.
And you know what? It’s a darn good trike with some excellent thinking. Let’s look it over.
Youth Gains Experience
Blevins isn’t a kid anymore. But he looks around and sees all his old hang gliding buddies looking older, too. Some of them are using wheels on their gliders (as a backup safety feature for those not-so-perfect foot-landings). Some (like me) fly trikes with hang glider-type wings because we don’t like running landings all that much. And some just plain switched to ultralights. North Wing should be able to serve all of them very well.
Some facts of his experience help explain how Blevins reads the marketplace. Now 37 years old, he started the sailmaking enterprise when he was a tender 23, and he’s been at it ever since. In the last 15 years, he’s done quite well for himself, logging useful experience along the way as he put time in for other manufacturers while keeping his own irons in the fire.
The ’80s were a time of growth in hang gliding. Designs changed regularly as each manufacturer jostled for market share.
During this exciting, if frantic time, Airwave UK in Great Britain was one of the most successful. Since then the company has gone out of business, while North Wing Design prospers. Airwave was also the only non-American builder to manufacture in the United States. Blevins worked for the company after the most turbulent days, but Airwave had lots of experience and expertise that Kamron could absorb.
Sailmaking – in this case wing making – is as much art as it is science. While Wills Wing, the largest manufacturer of flex-wings in the U.S., uses all computer pattern design and computer sail cutting, most builders still do it by hand. Like a tailor to movie stars, some acquire reputations for exacting work that customers appreciate.
Springing from these apprenticeships, Blevins started North Wing Design in the fall of ’96, and has now branched out into manufacturing entire aircraft. Along the way, he became a parts supplier for gliders abandoned by their manufacturers, and began supplying trike wings to a market beginning to embrace these flex-wing ultralights.
Over the July 4th holiday this year, Kamron returned to his roots and moved his entire operation to Washington state. The new North Wing employs seven people, three of whom moved with Blevins from Marina, California. The old-timers go way back to the early days of Airwave’s U.S. invasion and therefore give North Wing a lot of time in the industry.
North Wing is now based at Pangborn Memorial Airport in the town of East Wenatchee, Washington. The company had outgrown their facility in California, and is presently quartered in 6,000 square feet of space where they can fly right outside their door. Ironically, though most folks think California has great weather, Kamron says it’s better in Washington.
East Wenatchee is on the east side of the Cascade Mountain range. Seattle is on the west side. On the Seattle side, rain is common while on the east side of the mountains, Washington state is desertlike. Down in California, North Wing was in Marina, which has its share of wet weather.
North Wing is now poised to raise production at a bigger facility and to do more flying, keeping many employees with a great deal of useful experience. The world of ultralight trikes has been good to Blevins and his growing business.
Welcome the Maverick
The Maverick is North Wing’s first entry which they manufacture entirely themselves. So perhaps fittingly, Blevins fitted the Maverick with a maverick wing, a strutted trike wing (no kingpost and cable bracing on top).
Even the strutted wing isn’t new. Several have been built and flown, and one Southern California hang glider manufacturer put their Dawn model into production. However, it failed, possibly from being too far ahead of its time.
A few years ago, the new rage in hang gliding was topless (no upper rigging above the wing), led by big Euro manufacturer La Mouette, who called their hang glider simply the Topless. It doesn’t have struts, but rather retains the lower flying wires and uses a special crossbar system to support negative loads.
Within 3 years, all competition hang glider pilots were flying topless (now the generic term) gliders, and most pilots who flew cross-country for fun were buying them, despite their higher prices.
Most incorporate an expensive carbon fiber crossbar to hold the ground (negative) loads previously supported by upper rigging. In flight, loads tend to be positive, so the lower cable rigging works as it always has. To cover costs, these modern hang glider wings rose to $5,000 to $6,000 retail.
Blevins may be using a way that, while somewhat less exotic, offers most of the topless benefits without all the carbon fiber cost. Instead of an internal crossbar still relying on lower wires, Kamron installed struts. They’re heavier as a total – which is one reason why hang glider designers spurned the idea – but weight is somewhat less critical on a powered ultralight trike.
Blevins may have started something here. I’ve stuck my neck out and predicted trikes will eventually embrace rigid wings (that newest of all hang gliding innovations) in a big way.
Their control surfaces – still activated by weight-shift – will lower the handling barriers of more heavily loaded 2-place trike microlights, plus rigid wings come with other desired features like flaps.
Yet the flex-wing will maintain some share of the market as they’re (presently) a lot cheaper and as they work so well on a machine like the Maverick. In adding struts, Blevins is at minimum offering something new and flashy that ought to attract buyers.
That the strutted wing also fits in hangars better is simply one more candle on the cake. Kingpost gliders atop large trikes reach up too high for some smaller hangar doors.
For now, all this leaves aside the good flying qualities of the Maverick wing. We’ll cover that later.
On the downside of the different shape in trike wings, North Wing’s strutted wing is the only flying example I know of in trikes or hang gliding. Although the Dawn of the ’80s met most certification requirements of the Hang Glider Manufacturers Association (an industry group that certifies hang gliders), I am unfamiliar with other successes with this type of wing construction.
Some pilots will resist the strutted wing for the same reasons that others will request it: It’s different.
Until recently, only hang glider pilots pushed for topless wings. And they need very light aircraft for foot-launching. Trikes can add a few pounds, since the wheels do the ground transport work.
The Maverick successfully makes FAR Part 103 requirements, says Blevins, even with the struts and a twin-cylinder 40-hp Rotax 447 2-cycle powerplant that gives it lots of energy.
North Wing delivers the Maverick through their network of dealers in a ready-to-fly mode. No kit is envisioned as the trike is simple and because the manufacturer prefers to fully build the wing. The only assembly you must do is similar to a bicycle taken out of its shipping box, Blevins says. You will have to install the engine; more on this below.
In addition to the Rotax 447, North Wing is also offering the twin-cylinder 40-hp Hirth 2702 2-cycle engine. Costing $200 more than the Rotax, it weighs about the same, North Wing reports, and therefore still qualifies for Part 103.
A ballistic parachute can be added under the regulations without a weight penalty, and North Wing says a BRS fitting has been designed for the light trike. Floats are also weight exempted, but no plans for this option are presently in progress.
Sports Car Trike
I got my chance to fly the Maverick this past April in Florida. As a combination of old hang glider pilot, trike enthusiast and single-seat ultralight buff, I found the Maverick got my attention easily.
The Maverick sits lower to the ground than the bigger 2-seaters. Cosmos has an entry like this called the Echo and Air Création’s Racer is similar. All yield a certain sports car-like look that appeals to some buyers. Like me.
Entering the Maverick is as easy as most trikes and better than many 2-seaters. Since it sits low and has no rear seat to increase size, you need only step over the edge of the front fairing and sit down.
Immediately, you’ll notice the seat is very padded and very comfortable. I felt it offered a substantial reduction in vibration transmitted to the pilot.
A sturdy 4-point shoulder harness pilot restraint system comes standard, and it adjusts easily to many pilot sizes. Since the ultralight can accommodate a pilot of 250 pounds or even more, the seating of the Maverick proves versatile.
Under the seats is a construction of webbing and wood panels. The webbing offers some seat “suspension” and yields great strength. The wood panels under you and at your midback give shape that supports your body quite nicely, I felt. Though I flew for about 1 hour, I was comfortable enough to go for much longer flights without misery.
Blevins fully equips the Maverick with all you really need. Though some buyers will insist on adding equipment (wheel pants are now offered from North Wing, for one example), when they do so the ultralight may no longer meet the 254-pound weight limit of Part 103. The Maverick is fully assembled except for the engine, which dealers help customers add.
Despite the need for some owners to add stuff, I found the machine was complete.
The only additions I recommend are an airspeed indicator and an altimeter.
Steering on all trikes is good and bad. It is good because you have lots of maneuverability and a very steerable nosewheel. They are regarded poorly by those who believe push-left go-right steering is challenging. In fact, some experts note the system isn’t “wrong way steering” at all. Bicycles and snow skis also turn by the push-left go-right method. All steering is a learned response anyway, so it won’t take long to get the Maverick right.
Some trike nosewheels are too steerable. They swivel too quickly in faster landing situations. North Wing installs a piston on the nosewheel to dampen such erratic movements, but the piston hardly interferes. Rubber limiters keep the wheel from overturning, which may also be useful in some situations.
The Maverick’s brake is a simplistic device. A metal pad lowers onto the nosewheel tire when you push down, something advised with both feet simultaneously if you want more deceleration.
When you bear down on the pad, it produces more slowing than I expected.
Blevins expressed that this brake is a good thing. Since you must remove your foot from the foot throttle to get the most braking, you cannot make the common mistake of braking while still applying some power. The steel pad brake will never wear out, he adds. However, to address those who prefer a lever-actuated brake, North Wing can supply an Asuza drum brake system much like those found on other trikes.
Blast Off
With the Rotax 447’s 40 horses pushing you, takeoff roll is short (barely more than 100 feet, I’d guess) and climb is brisk. I couldn’t measure this myself as the test Maverick lacked an altimeter, but it felt all of the 800 feet per minute that North Wing advertises.
The Rotax 447 is well-regarded, plentiful and well-serviced, making it an attractive choice for many buyers. Since North Wing positions it upright, spark plugs are easily checked and rarely fouled by engine oil draining down on them.
I did find the hand throttle was too far away for me to reach comfortably with my short arms, though of course, you do have a foot throttle for use when tightly belted in during takeoffs and landings. This is proper takeoff technique in trikes, and once aloft, you can relax one shoulder belt to set the friction-locked hand throttle.
Opposite the hand throttle is a choke to hasten pull starting via overhead handle. Between these two levers, North Wing tucks the kill switch between gusset plates where it won’t easily be bumped inadvertently.
Since North Wing got started in the ultralight industry by making trike wings rather than powered carriages, you might think they refined this part of their art further. I’d have to agree after flying their wings on several other trikes.
North Wings manages a single-surface wing that handles better with a speed range as broad as most double-surface wings. This is a terrific combination, and the Maverick’s unique strutted wing continues the trend.
The wing on this test Maverick had a very slight turn in it and was a bit heavier to handle than I expected. Blevins was unhappy with this assessment and put some time into discovering that three ribs on one side had lost some of their curvature in transit from the factory. Like most flex-wings, his wings come with a batten or “rib” chart that allows owners to verify the correct camber of the battens. More changes occur to ultralights in transport than flying, and this was one of those times. However, the problem was small to begin with and fully corrected after some modest reshaping of the ribs (something you can do easily yourself).
Blevins assured me this solved the problem of the turn and lightened handling. Knowing Kamron to be a very picky wing builder, I’m sure he is right about this, although I did not refly the Maverick even though he invited another check flight. People who sew sails for hang glider pilots, as North Wing Design did when the business started, must pay close attention to good handling, as hang glider pilots demand it.
The Maverick’s wing may have also been set in a somewhat slow trim position. When I pulled in somewhat, handling seemed to improve. This is a consequence of the chassis-to-wing connection point which alters the trim speed. North Wing builds a good-looking part for this critical attachment, and it adjusts on the ground in just a few minutes.
The cylinder head temperature responded rather quickly to throttle input. On adding full power, the temperature dropped in reaction to greater fuel flow, which makes sense. The Maverick’s exhaust gas temperature never moved much at all, suggesting to me that North Wing has properly fitted the engine.
The Maverick seemed like it would hold altitude at about 4,000 rpm. I could see the power setting on the tachometer, but without an altimeter, I could not verify this sensation.
With every stall I tried, I was unable to get the wing to break clearly. I think this is partly a function of forward bar movement range which stems from the trim speed location.
However, it may also be the design of the wing to produce a modest stall. It appears to show the dive recovery devices are working.
How Maverick Are You?
Trike popularity continues to grow in the United States. Ultralight organizations all note more registrations for these ultralights. After many years of promotion by U.S. and European builders, the ultralight style has gained wide acceptance.
Some 3-axis pilots finally tried and liked the simple weight-shift control of trikes. Others value the easy breakdown to pickup truck transport. Still others admire their performance and the fine craftsmanship available. Since most are fully-built ultralights, those who don’t love building are also drawn to them.
When you order a Maverick, it will come complete with everything seen in the accompanying photos, although the builder must install the engine. Since Rotax does not weld mufflers for brackets, you must also deal with this to your satisfaction, but North Wing’s dealers will often handle this chore, according to Blevins.
North Wing Design joins a limited number of U.S. trike makers with a solid offering in the Maverick. Priced at $9,780 ready to fly, the single price trike represents an excellent value in a good performing and good handling ultralight. I had a lot of fun flying North Wing’s Maverick trike, and I think you will, too.
Published in Light Sport and Ultralight Flying
| Seating | Single-seat |
| Empty weight | 252 pounds |
| Gross weight | 550 pounds |
| Wingspan | 31 feet 6 inches |
| Wing area | 157 square feet |
| Wing loading | 3.5 pounds per square foot |
| Length | 7 feet |
| Height | 7 feet 3 inches |
| Fuel Capacity | 5 gallons |
| Kit type | Factory assembled (except for mounting engine) |
| Standard engine | Rotax 447 |
| Power | 40 horsepower |
| Power loading | 13. 8 pounds per horsepower |
| Cruise speed | 40-45 mph |
| Never exceed speed | 70 mph |
| Rate of climb at gross | 800 fpm |
| Takeoff distance at gross | 150 feet |
| Landing distance at gross | 150 feet |
| Standard Features | Topless strutted single-surface wing, steerable nosewheel (push left, go right) with nosewheel brake and tailing link suspension, hand and foot throttles, 4-point shoulder harness pilot restraint, instruments (EGT, CHT, tach), fiberglass rear axle suspension, pilot pod and skirt with storage bags, 3- or 4-blade composite prop. |
| Options | Electric start, Hirth 2702 2-cycle engine, drum nosewheel brake, ballistic emergency parachute, additional instrument panel, wheel pants, portable fuel tank. |
| Construction | 6061-T6 and 7075-T6 aluminum tubing, fiberglass, stainless steel and aluminum fittings, AN hardware, Dacron® sailcloth. |
Design
Cosmetic appearance, structural integrity, achievement of design goals, effectiveness of aerodynamics, ergonomics.
Pros – Carefully and simply designed chassis meets wing from experienced wing maker. Square tubing frame is gusset-joined for look of great strength and part simplicity; drag axle and forward support tube are faired. Engine is upright and uses mass-focused mounting. North Wing’s wings have a good handling reputation without sacrificing speed range.
Cons – Single-seat design only will limit resale somewhat (company offers 2-place wings on the Antares trike carriage). Not a soaring machine for those so interested. Strutted hang glider wings are rare, therefore less proven by years of customer operation. Wing strength evaluated by calculations.
Systems
Subsystems available to pilot such as: Flaps; Fuel sources; Electric start; In-air restart; Brakes; Engine controls; Navigations; Radio; (items covered may be optional).
Pros – Hand and foot throttles with override feature (hand over foot). Nosewheel steering is dampened by a piston and has rubber stops to prevent metal-to-metal contact. Overhead pull starters work pretty well in trikes like the Maverick. Remote choke provided on chassis keel. Kill switch neatly protected. Upright-mounted engine can reduce spark plug fouling.
Cons – No weight allowance to add system accessories like electric starting. Fuel tank feed lines hang down quite low and may be vulnerable in rough terrain; refueling can cause spills inside skirt. Brake has simplistic operation some may not like (a drum brake system is optional).
Cockpit/Cabin
Instrumentation; Ergonomics of controls; Creature comforts; (items covered may be optional).
Pros – Step over the fairing and sit; easy entry/exit. Beautifully padded seat with webbing “suspension” for vibration dampening; it works well. Side stash areas, one on left outside and one on right inside, will keep stuff handy yet secure.
Hand throttle and choke are convenient at front of seat on chassis keel. Four-point shoulder harness pilot restraint is strong and widely adjustable.
Cons – Minimal room for instruments on panel (though other locations are available with effort). Panel demands small instruments, which are then harder to read. No cargo area except small stash bags. Trikes are open-cockpit designs, so full-face helmets are wise but detract from wind-in-your-face flying. Reach to hand throttle was long for my short arms.
Ground Handling
Taxi visibility; Steering; Turn radius; Shock absorption; Stance/Stability; Braking.
Pros – Trailing link nosewheel suspension provides easy wheel tracking (further aided by dampener). Brake is helpful in taxi lineup situations. Nosepod helps keep nosewheel spray from reaching pilot. Terrific visibility in trikes, partly as you can just move the wing. Very maneuverable in tight quarters.
Cons – Brake is simplistic and requires both feet for best braking results.
Clearance concerns me with fuel lines hanging down low on the chassis. Suspension is limited to air in the tires (though they’re large and no more seemed necessary). Trikes require a firm grip in windy conditions. Push-left go-right ground steering still offends some 3-axis pilots.
Takeoff/Landing
Qualities; Efficiency; Ease; Comparative values.
Pros – Lively takeoff with 40-hp Rotax 447 power. Up or down takes only 100 to 150 feet of airstrip. Visibility is better than most ultralights, even open-cockpit ones. The Maverick landed as easily as most trikes, setting main gear down first with little effort. Good glide helps on low approaches.
Cons – No flaps in trikes and no slipping ability restrict your approach path options. Trikes are also not great in crosswinds (though the Maverick lands so short that cross-runway is a reasonable option). No other negatives.
Control
Quality and quantity for: Coordination; Authority; Pressures; Response; and Coupling.
Pros – North Wing has a reputation for nice-handling wings; they’ve been quite successful in the trike wing supply business. With a wide leading edge pocket in lieu of double-surface, sail shift is enhanced and handling becomes lighter. Flying wings are devoid of adverse yaw and don’t spin readily. Harmony between roll, bank and yaw is easily achieved on the Maverick.
Cons – Trike control motions still confuse many 3-axis pilots; some just won’t try. Weight-shift in general is not as well understood in the U.S., even though it is very simple. Crosswind controls are nonexistent on trikes. (Take some instruction in trikes and most negatives disappear.)
Performance
Climb; Glide; Sink; Cruise/stall/max speeds; Endurance; Range; Maneuverability.
Pros – Even with a good sink rate (for a powered ultralight), the Maverick isn’t strong on soaring. Most trikes don’t dive well under power. A broad speed range doesn’t come with trike ultralights (the Maverick stalls about 28, tops at 70; ratio is 2.
5, 4 is best).
Cons – For a single-surface wing, the Maverick wing also manages a decent speed range with a 70-mph top end. Climb is 800 fpm with the Rotax 447. Glide is better than average among Part 103 ultralights, and sink rate is even better. Excellent characteristics as a low-above-open-fields flyer. The Maverick was able to sustain altitude well down into 4,000 rpm range, a sign of good efficiency.
Stability
Stall recovery and characteristics; Dampening; Spiral stability; Adverse yaw qualities.
Pros – Trikes enjoy pendulum stability that is highly effective in most situations. Stall was quite docile and very slow, but I had no ASI to check speeds. Stalls with less than full power still keep climbing even at control limits. Spins are nearly impossible to enter. Longitudinal stability seemed quite good; the Maverick’s dive recovery devices felt functional.
Cons – Flying wings often use anhedral, which can tighten up turns if unattended.
Add lots of power on the Maverick and the trike will rise regardless of control input, a common trike complaint. No other negatives.
Overall
Addresses the questions: “Will a buyer get what he/she expects to buy, and did the designer/builder achieve the chosen goal?”
Pros – The Maverick can make Part 103 weight with the Rotax 447 and strutted wing, according to North Wing. The trike comes complete with everything you really need and is ready to fly (after shipping reassembly) for less than $10,000; that has to represent a good value. Pilots up to 250 pounds (even a few more) can fit in and fly the Maverick. Breaks down to pickup truck carry capability.
Cons – Good value or not, the Maverick remains a single-seat Part 103 ultralight with basic utility. Strutted flex-wing has yet to prove itself in the field over a long time. Some European trikes appear slicker and are more feature laden (of course, they don’t make Part 103). No 2-seat option.
North Wing Aircraft Maverick
North Wing Aircraft Maverick
Maverick II
The design of both the trike and the wing of the Maverick single-place ultralight has been enhanced to include features that benefit flight performance, improve set-up convenience, add storage space, and more.
The Maverick 2 trike frame has been extended to maximize storage space behind the pilot, enable additional fuel storage, camping equipment, and anything that fits in the space and maintains acceptable weight limits. Also changed is the folding design of the trike mast, so only the mast pivots just above the seat rail and now includes a spring-assisted mast as our Apache two-place trike has. The new spring-assisted mast on the Maverick 2 reduces the effort required to lift the wing into position, reducing the effort from lifting 83 lbs of wing to only 15 lbs.
The Maverick 2 Wing also has been improved, featuring new strutted airframe components, and increased the load rating of the wing, from 550 gross to 650 gross by a new airframe.
The increased load rating is especially helpful for pilots who like to fly on floats. The Maverick 2 wing has the ability for the wing to fold back while attached to the trike.
The Maverick 2 is a “state of the art”, highly refined low profile single-place trike. This trike comes in two choices: Maverick 2 Legend (streamlined fairings) and Maverick 2 RT (no fairings).
This aircraft uses aircraft grade aluminum tubing throughout the trike frame, and aircraft hardware and fasteners. The rear suspension uses a strong fiberglass pultruded axle with drag struts. If you like to have a hand at building part of your trike, you may purchase the Maverick 2 trike and wing without the engine, propeller or gauges.
Standard Equipment includes:
RPM / Hobbs Meter · Dual CHT / EGT
Front Fairing – red, yellow, or white
4-point Seat Belt Harness · black Seats
6″ Nylon Mag Wheels
Hand & Foot Throttle
Front Drum Brake
Side Saddle Bags
Fuel Primer
Maverick 2 Trike
Engine: Rotax 447B, 40 HP
Reduction: 2.
58:1
Propellor: 2-blade 62″ IVO
Weight empty: 254 lbs. + fairings
Gross Weight: 600 lbs.
Span: 31.5 feet
Wing Area: 157 square feet
Climb Rate: 1000 fpm (at Sea Level)
Wheel Base (width): 62″ (outside)
Wheel Base (length): 61″ (centre)
Total Length: 108″
Total Height: 8 feet
Height – Trike folded: 5 feet (with prop)
Height – Trike folded: 4 feet (without prop)
Wing folded up: 12″ x 20 feet
Fuel Tank: 5 USgallon
The Maverick 2 wing has been improved, featuring a strutted airframe instead of the kingpost and wires design that added drag and reduced flight performance. The load rating of the wing has been increased, from 550 gross to 650 gross by a new airframe. The increased load rating is especially helpful for pilots who like to fly on floats. The Maverick 2 wing has the ability for the wing to fold back while attached to the trike. All parts are made in the U.S.A.
Maverick 2 14.9M
Wing Weight 84 lbs
Weight 253 lbs.
with Rotax 447
Gross Weight 650 lbs.
Wing Area 157 square feet
Span 31.5 feet
Aspect Ratio 6.1 : 1
Double Surface 35%
Frame 6061-T6
Sail – main body 5.5 oz.
Number of Ribs – top 15
Rib Material 7075-T6
“Collectivist” and “individualist” – Russian architect – LiveJournal
From the philosophical heritage of A.A. Zinoviev orientation inward (let’s call it insiderism) and outward (outsiderism). In this germinal form, they are characteristic of every normal person. When one or another orientation in an individual gets predominant development and dominates, insiders and outsiders are obtained as psychological types. Such types are likewise characteristic of every society in one proportion or another, in one form or another, corresponding to the conditions of the given society. The mentioned division of psychology traits and psychological types is not absolute. This is a typical example of scientific simplification.
In reality, the boundaries between the phenomena under consideration are indefinite and mobile. A person in some situations may show one trait, in another – another. And these types differ only in relation to certain types of actions and conditions. But such a division is legitimate and even obligatory as a step in understanding the phenomenon of our society that interests us. Although these phenomena are universal, only under certain social conditions the differences between them turn out to be vital, only under certain conditions do they become social qualities of social individuals and social types, denoted by the terms “individualism”, “collectivism”, “individualist”, “collectivist”. These conditions are accumulations of large masses of people in which the life and fate of people essentially depend on the very fact that people are forced to live in their given accumulation. Below I will describe these phenomena already in their developed and obvious forms, in which they can be seen in modern society.
From a behavioral point of view the individualist prefers to act alone, independently of other people. Strives for activities of this kind, where possible to the greatest extent. If he acts in a team, he strives to occupy an isolated position or perform functions that are, if possible, independent of others. This should not be confused with the desire for a privileged position. Sometimes there is a coincidence. But not always. The individualist is ready to give up privileges and perform more difficult and less profitable activities, if it gives him some kind of independence from the activities of other people. I mean the very implementation of the activity and its products, and not official position or social positions. An individualist does not avoid privileges and may even strive for them if the independence of his behavior and activity is associated with privileges.
Collectivist , on the other hand, prefers to act in a group, in contact with other people doing the same thing with him.
Strives for activities of this kind, where possible to the greatest extent. If he acts alone, he tends to present his work as a part of the common. The individualist avoids gatherings, strives to stand out from the crowd. Being forced to be in a group or in a crowd, he strives to maintain an independent line of behavior. The collectivist strives for gatherings, strives join groups, castes, parties, crowds. In the mass of people behaves according to the laws of the mass, without standing out from it. This should not be confused with such phenomena as the desire for a career or lack thereof, the desire for leadership or lack thereof. A collectivist may strive for leadership, for a career, for privileges, for elevation above the crowd. But – in the mass of people, through the collective, in the collective, in the crowd and with the crowd. The collectivist is even more inclined to rise above others, to leadership, to a career than the individualist. For a collectivist, this is his behavior and role in the crowd, in the team.
For the individualist, however, it is only a means of separating from the collective.
An individualist strives to make his way in life through individual abilities and personal labor, that is, personally. The collectivist, on the other hand, makes his way along with the collective, at the expense of the collective, , due to his role in the collective . If an individualist, by the will of circumstances, has other people as the object of his activity, in this case, too, he considers his managerial talents and his personal labor to be the main instrument of his activity.
From a psychological point of view, individualism and collectivism should not be confused with egoism, egocentrism, altruism, misanthropy, sociability, isolation, and other qualities of the same kind.
A collectivist can be egoist and egocentrist, hate people, be withdrawn. An individualist may be sociable, may love people, may avoid drawing attention to himself.
A collectivist can be a selfish person, he can betray his team for his petty gains.
He does not necessarily put the interests of the collective ahead of his own.
An individualist can be devoted to the team, can sacrifice his interests for the sake of the team!
This is not the point at all. An individualist is psychologically self-sufficient. He feels himself as an integral and sovereign person. He has a certain psychological shell, protecting his psyche from some kind of spreading and protecting it from extraneous intrusions – a personal shell.
The collectivist, on the other hand, perceives himself as a person only as a part of a more complex whole – the collective. He has no personality shell. Therefore, he is inclined to invade the souls of other people and admits others into his own. Our Soviet intimacy, which usually turns into rudeness and vulgarity in relations between people, is a characteristic manifestation of collectivist psychology.
An individualist prefers to keep a certain distance from people, protests against the intrusion of other people into the recesses of his soul.
The individualist is inclined to his own opinions, tastes, judgments independent of others.
The collectivist is inclined to accept the opinions, tastes, and evaluations imposed on him by others. The collectivist is psychologically only a part of the personality-collective, while the individualist contains all the potentialities of the whole collective.
From an ideological point of view, an individualist perceives himself as a kind of sovereign power, as a being with self-sufficient value, and autonomous.
And in other people the individualist recognizes the same sovereign beings. And even to the collective in which the individualist is forced to rotate, he treats him as an equal being. He rejects the principle “The interests of the collective are higher than the interests of the individual.” He accepts the principle “The interests of the members of the team individually and the team as a whole are equivalent.”
The collectivist, on the other hand, perceives himself as a part or function of a sovereign whole – the collective, accepts the principle “The interests of the collective are higher than the interests of the individual”, in fact interpreting it as principle “My interests as a member of the collective (that is, coinciding with the interests of the collective as a whole) are higher than the interests of those members of the collective who are contrary to them.
”
In practice, the principle of collectivism is realized in the formula “We are all shit”, and the principle of individualism is realized in the formula “We are all gods.” –
Individualism is the highest evaluation personal principle in society, collectivism – lowest.
I emphasize that they differ not in relation to the collective principle in society, but exclusively to the personal one. Individualism does not mean an underestimation of the collective principle, and collectivism does not mean an overestimation of it. The dispute between them is in relation to the person, and not to the team. For collectivism, references to the importance of the collective principle in society are only an argument in a dispute and material for self-justification. For an individualist, human society is an association of full-fledged and sovereign “I”, and for a collectivist, only the association itself is “I”, only “we” are “I”.
One of the ways to implement the principles of individualism is a society with civil liberties and individual rights. Of course, this path is not absolute, not ideal, not perfect. Yet the individualist is more likely to appear and survive in this society than in another. The classical embodiment of the principles of collectivism is the communist type of society.
The so-called bourgeois society is not a society dominated by individualism . It’s just that in this society the percentage of individualists is somewhat higher than in a communist society (but still the question is whether it is higher than in a feudal society ), individualists here have more chances to survive and succeed, their influence on the life of society as a whole is more noticeable. Collectivism as a way of behavior, as a form of psychology and as a form of ideology makes the individual more adapted to the complex conditions of modern society than individualism. A collectivist is more flexible, more mobile, more resourceful than an individualist.
And when it comes to a communist society or islands of communism in other societies, then collectivism turns out to be maximally adequate to the very foundations of society.
In a communist society, each socially active individual is attached to some primary collective, through which he gives his strength and abilities to society and receives a share of the product corresponding to his social position, on which his fate essentially depends.
Therefore, the society specially cultivates collectivists here. Even individuals who, under other conditions, might become individualists due to natural inclinations, are here adjusted to the general norm, just as natural left-handers are forced to be right-handed. Our society makes every effort to ensure that individualists do not appear. But they still show up. There is no general explanation for this phenomenon. They appear somehow suddenly, as if quite unexpectedly. How sometimes a separate long hair appears in a conspicuous place that you carefully shave every day and look at in the light.
You shave, look, as if nothing had been left unshaven, and yet one day you suddenly notice this miraculously surviving hair. So it is with individualists in society. When you find an unshaven hair, you try to shave it off, and if this fails, you pull it out by the root. Society does the same with an individual who miraculously avoided becoming a collectivist and grew into an individualist. It is even more inconvenient for the collective to live with such an exception to the general rule than for a clean-shaven person to appear in a decent society with that very hair brazenly sticking out in a conspicuous place.
The individualist nevertheless differs from that single hair on a shaved face that irritates you, at least in that it also plays a certain positive role. By its very existence, it reminds us that we are still, to some extent, potential “I”, only transforming this “I” of ours to please other “I”, acting as authorized representatives of the imaginary “we” .
But In society, activities are constantly preserved that only individualists can do well.
These are mainly creative activities in which the collective, in principle or in fact under the given circumstances, is not capable of replacing the individual, in which the collective has no advantage over the individual. Thus, the WPC was able to create an outstanding ideological text that tens of thousands of ideological workers cannot create together.
But the individualist plays his positive role in such a way that he becomes dangerous for the normal life of society. He by the very fact of his existence makes it clear to people that they were paid too cheaply for the loss of their “I”, that they actually renounced him not in the name of the sublime “we”, but in the name of the selfish interests of the same nonentities as they themselves.
He plays a role similar to the role of a correct mirror in a society of freaks who, in theory, should be handsome and that causes anger and poisons existence. It is dangerous not because it reveals the secrets of being and calls for transformations, but because it exists in spite of everything and in spite of everything, exists, although it should not exist.
—————————
That’s all great, but a society made up entirely of individuals would have a colossal, frightening REDUNDANT!
Redundancy frightening in its uselessness, especially in the so-called “creative universities”.
Indeed, why does society need a whole crowd of Mozarts? So that they trample each other in this crowd?
One is enough…
Ultralight gliders. | Page 27
KAA
I hate Solidworks!
#521
clockmaker said:
But not a single test, not a single photograph. Because he simply does not exist, alive. For the quality, I just keep silent. But they are selling.
Click to expand.
..
.. This is a modern bourgeois commercial approach.
B-787 was also sold with might and main even before the first flight, with all future defects!
Although personally I am against such practice
ucs
I love this Forum!
#522
Flood for the sake of
BB with Boeing put
in one row
Yuri K
I fly up sometimes
#523
Matushkin67 said:
:~) As an option “Kayak” https://vk.
… you put the motor and the little green man on the wing… :~)Click to expand…
com/public62884239 It’s hard to catch your subtle humor. Well, it’s clear with the motor – but what is the green man for? Or is this the concept of full combat readiness?
SVM
Dreaming (flying) is not harmful!
#524
I answer Nind why go to fly to Ukraine.
It’s very simple – to fly, for some reason – I want to.
I didn’t manage to fly to Shevlino last year.
Went to Smolensk – flew out there.
Moscow – then there is no weather, then the sky is closed, then – …
It’s easier to go for a week or two to where they fly and where it’s warm.
5ZF
Senior Member
#525
alfa_DOP said:
But you have AC-5, don’t you? How is he doing, by the way?
Click to expand…
Bored in the trailer. I flew a little and realized that I needed something else, perhaps because of my paragliding past. Put up for sale.
alpha_DOP
I love airplanes!
#526
apiskarev said:
alfa_DOP said:
But you have AC-5, don’t you? How is he doing, by the way?
Click to expand.
Bored in the trailer. I flew a little and realized that I needed something else, perhaps because of my paragliding past. Put up for sale.
Click to expand…
.. Not for the sake of flooding, but only (C) … in order to understand oneself 😕
What does not suit the already existing and “combat-ready” AC-5?
My (hang gliding) past also vaguely tells me that the AC-5, and the Axel and Alatus, are not very suitable for me either (even despite the prices), unless someone gives
VeSiL
I love building airplanes!
#527
Really, what’s wrong with AC-5? It is in a specific design or in the PW-5, L-33, carbon-fiber American swallow as a class of gliders with mediocre quality (aerodynamic)?
5ZF
Senior Member
#528
alfa_DOP said:
Not for the sake of flooding, but only (C) .
Click to expand…
.. in order to understand oneself. What does not suit you in the already existing and “combat-ready” AC-5?So I’m talking about the same thing – to understand yourself before, otherwise it will be, as I did it – a long way of going through torments:
I was always interested in soaring flight, but in its other form – calmly and slowly cut circles and stare around. The first place has always been (and is) autonomy and mobility, the second is the ability to take off and land on a limited area, the third is a reasonable price. The paraglider met all these requirements until I ended up in places where there was simply nowhere to take off on a paraglider. Well, then the process of acquiring life experience in the field of flights went on – for the first couple of years I still flew on a paraglider and traveled on weekends for 3-4 hours one way to where there was an opportunity to start from the mountain. Then he got tired of driving, sold everything and took up radio-controlled gliders, fortunately he met a fellow countryman who was very strong in this area and was also a glider pilot.
At his suggestion, he joined a glider club, graduated, received a license, but there was sorely lacking time for club affairs and duties with a family with two teenagers. Autonomy is back in the first place. I bought an unfinished all-metal glider kit (HP-14T) on occasion and started building it with an eye to convert it into a motor glider in the hope that this would make it possible to fly independently of the club. Three years later, a crisis broke out, I was left without a job, and with two now students in the family, I had to sell an almost completed glider. A few years later, having gone through the process of restoring to flying condition again bought on the occasion of an ultralight motor glider (Mitchell Wing B-10) and transferring to an LSA aircraft (Eurofox), finally “an idiot’s dream came true”, as Ostap Bender said, and I became the owner of the AC-5M.
Modern gliders, as they are, were born to chase records and win competitions. This specificity leaves a certain imprint on how they fly and on those who fly on them.
As a rule, glider pilots are individualists with ambitions by their nature, and the slogan “Higher, further, faster!” is the best fit for them, and the gliders are sharpened under the same slogan.
But the dream and reality did not coincide – it turned out that I didn’t need “Higher, further, faster!”, I needed something simpler. The Mitchell Wing, if it wasn’t tailless and easier to transport, would probably be the perfect fit for me.
5ZF
Senior Member
#529
VeSiL said:
Indeed, what does not suit the AC-5? It is in a specific design or in the PW-5, L-33, carbon-fiber American swallow as a class of gliders with mediocre quality (aerodynamic)?
Click to expand.
..Well, I wrote about the AC-5, in relation to me, of course, but I already spoke about the aerodynamic quality – it is important for cross-country flights. For pleasure flights, the minimum rate of descent comes first – the task here is to stay in the air for as long as possible, and not to whistle over the fields and forests as far as possible. This does not mean that quality does not matter at all during such flights, I would also like to fly from thermal to temic, but here, as elsewhere, one cannot do without a compromise.
parakot
Full Member
#530
And my paragliding past led me to flying on a glider – this is freedom, this is a different flight minimum, this is the absence of folding, this is the possibility of flying not only in the wind.
AC-5 is the best alternative to blanik with a very small team of like-minded people. Quality (aerodynamic) is important – it is the ability to fly to the next stream, which I often lacked on a paraglider, especially against the wind. Anyone who dreams of flying in a glider, let him fly in the currents for a couple of hours at the beginning, and everything will become clear: is it yours. But we must not forget that glider flights are an event, and the event is not cheap! But how much freedom and pleasure! Recently, friends suggested to go paragliding on the Azov to the breeze – I just winced – not the slightest desire to shave the slopes! A friend has a deltic – after flying on a glider, he doesn’t want to go to a raspberry (such a winch). Yes, flying a glider around an airfield is always different, unlike shaving slopes. And the escape distances from the airfield are greater than many paragliding routes. And the desire to fly away from the airfield is an agreement with other airfields (where there are towing vehicles) or only the desire to take the glider out of the site by cart.
VeSiL
I love building airplanes!
#531
Thank you, it means that the gliders that appeared due to the FAI competition in 1989-1991 are excessively sporty, space eaters…
Real athletes AC-5 – nag. It is clear that you are at a respectable age and it is a pleasure to simply be in the air in the cone of guaranteed return to the runway.
Perhaps I should be content with this already ;D
ucs
I love this Forum!
#532
For myself, in many respects, even in everything, I agree with 5ZF.
Hind
Sailplanes my love
#533
v-school said:
It’s easier to go for a week or two to where they fly and where it’s warm.
Click to expand…
To Orel, definitely… Starting this year – to Usman (Voronezh), they officially fly without days off at all.
SVM
Dreaming (flying) is not harmful!
#534
Who on their own experience knows and checked the loading (according to gliders, instructors, medical requirements, etc.
) and the real opportunity to fly on May (and after, in the summer) in Orel and Voronezh?
You can in a personal. Ready to join. Car is
5ZF
Oldest member
#535
VeSiL said:
The
enjoys simply being in the air in the runway return cone.
Click to expand…
But this is not at all necessary, in the sense that it is in a cone. For myself, I see the possibility of expanding the flight area in a light motor glider like the Mitchell B-10 (only with a tail) with a pusher folding propeller, ideally on electric propulsion (but this is not at all necessary). Slipped or thermal died – poked the button and start over.
But where to get it?
So we returned again to option number 5.
henryk
I love building airplanes!
#536
http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/light-stuff-area/11888-ul-sailplane-footlaunchable-foldable.html
=A-Z…
5ZF
Senior Member
#537
henryk said:
http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/light-stuff-area/11888-ul-sailplane-footlaunchable-foldable.
=A-Z…
Click to expand…
htmlNo, I’m talking about REALLY affordable options. I can also post a bunch of such links. In addition, this is very old information, it is enough to look at the date. Then it’s better to look at this device, at least there is progress:
http://www.electricmotorglider.com/Progress/March_2014_progress.html
clockmaker
I love building airplanes!
#538
I consider such a conversation very useful for myself, because it allows me to get around the rake as much as possible and decide even before you start spending money and time, that is, learn from the mistakes of others.
And at least two points of view have already coincided with mine in terms of autonomy – independence and in terms of the nature of flights and the desired – expected result from them.
A microlift glider with electric propulsion meets my expectations. Because it can provide a minimum sink rate and requires a minimum platform for itself. Allows you to fly with weak thermals and handle the maximum number of them. The electrical unit is controlled by two buttons and is very compact and light, which makes it easy to make it retractable inside, even without changing the aerodynamic shape of the airframe.
Of the microlift gliders I know so far only Carbon Dragon – AK 25 flight speed with a minimum descent speed of 42 km/h. It is available at least in working drawings, even CNC, and built more than once. Supplementing it with a retractable power plant is a very real task.
Who has a better “candidate”?
henryk said:
http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/light-stuff-area/11888-ul-sailplane-foo…
=A-Z…
Click to expand…
Pan Henrik, do I understand correctly that this is still computer graphics? If not, did the designer meet the maximum weight of 35 kg and low price, and with what materials?
Another amateurish question, with these struts and without a streamlined cabin, how does he expect something serious?
After all, he himself then writes about all this, about his Supra, which he “licked” all over and switched to composites.
By the way, he does not give any data on the Supra, maybe they are somewhere else?
clockmaker
I love building airplanes!
#539
I wanted to ask why Carbon Dragon is called carbon?
After all, it is all wood and carbon fiber used only in some power elements, if I’m not mistaken.
VeSiL
I love building airplanes!
#540
The volatility of ultralight gliders, which attracts some paragliders, has certain disadvantages: significant weather restrictions.
