Problems with Nose wheel assembly

[asra]

Greg, the machine was built by Sam Wilson, but since buying it I have made a lot of modifications to the origional design.The gyro still has not yet flown, but is almost ready !!!!!Regards Sam. []

[Greg Mitchell]

Good On You Sam, I reckon you'll have a lot of fun flying Dragonfly. Keep us posted.Mitch.www.thebutterflyllc.com

[asra]

Howdy SamLVery nice machine and trailor,I'll bet your chomppin at the bit in anticipation.A couple of questions if you don't mind.What is the rubber shock made of,is it solid or gas filled?And how long and at what temp was the heat treat done after the wealds?Thanx SonnyIntelligence is not a privilege,it is a gift and should be used for the good of mankind.

[asra]

Sonny, The Dragonfly tail is all alloy, both the rudder and H.S have a alloy spar, then it is rapped with alloy sheet and rivitted.Very conventional, very light and strong.The H.S has a inverted aerofoil shape to it, and will be interesting to see how it effects its flight.Regards Sam []Image Insert: 63.08

[asra]

G'Day SamlThanx the tail feathers look very efective,Wow what a nice bird.If you can tell me about the RUBBER shock and the welding on the nose gaer please.[]Regards SonnyIntelligence is not a privilege,it is a gift and should be used for the good of mankind.

[asra]

Sonny, the nose gear has no welds on it, all components are alloy, and just bolted together.The front nose wheel has a Rosco nose wheel rubber for suspension.Movement is as much as 1.5 inches, on the bubber and 3 on the wheel. This system is also fail safe because if the rubber was to fail or break off, the 2 mounting plates would meet stopping the wheel colapsing onto the keel.As I have stated prior the aircraft has still not flown, so the proof will be in the pudding. [][][]Regards Sam.

[birdy]

Sam, mate, just a word of caution, that H stab will have s%$# loads of power, and be'n inverted, if it's too much nose down, you'll never leave the ground.If it's adjustable, then you'll be right.Wot angle of attack is it set at??Ignorance is bliss............but only till you realise you were.Ingratitude stinks.......be generous carefully.

[asra]

G'Day Birdy!!!Being inverted it would push the tail down and do the exact opposite, instead raise the nose. The H.S. angle of attack is zero as it is set up parallel to the keel.If it is required to change this angle it is easly acheived via packers at the trailing edge mounting bolt.It is at zero because being C.L.T and the H.S being an inverted aerofoil hopfully it should work as though it was angled, but be less draggy.Being in the prop blast it should react to changes in thrust, making it behave as an aircraft should behave in pitch.Also in the case of the gyro entering a nose down attitude the H.S would increase its downward force as its angle of attack increased during the aircrafts nose down attitude.Were as a simple flat H.S would just stall.[][][]Regards Sam.

[birdy]

I'm think'n more bout the power of an inverted airofoil of that size Sam.The one I put on me RAF is only a 4' pice of rotor blade in the wash, like yours, and I set it the same way, 0* to the airflow and the down force power at that setting almost kept the machine pinned to the ground when I tryed to TO.Yours is alot bigger, and I reckon at 0* it'll do the same.I had to set mine at bout 4* nose down to get 0 effect at SL.I posted some stuff on the yank forum bout it with some pix but I don't know how to put the link up, maybe someone could help out ere.Ignorance is bliss............but only till you realise you were.Ingratitude stinks.......be generous carefully.

[asra]

Ahso SamL,I did'nt look closely enough at the second picture[:I].However in the first pic I can see it was welded,not a bad move if the heat treating was done properly.I have experance with welding and heat treating steal and welding aloy but don't know much about the heat treating prosses on aloy.It's true that a picture is worth a thousand words,and you have answeared with your exellant pics.[][]Thanx mateSonnyIntelligence is not a privilege,it is a gift and should be used for the good of mankind.

[asra]

Your loosing me Birdy. [?]If you had an inverted wing as a H.S and dropped its leading edge by 4 degrees then you would have an even greater down force on the tail plane, therefore lightning the front of your machine even more.I can't see how it cancelled it out.I'm not saying I dont beleive you, I just don't understand what happend in your case. Regards Sam.

[birdy]

Sorry Sam, I had a brain farrt.Yes, I ment 4* nose up = 0 lift on mine.Ignorance is bliss............but only till you realise you were.Ingratitude stinks.......be generous carefully.

[asra]

We all have thoughs Birdy.Thats interesting, considering you also have the down force appliedby the RAF's enclosure and high thrust line.The Dragonfly's H.S has an extension of about 4 inches of flat about 1.5 mm alloy on the trailing edge, so if you were to cut a cross section of it, it would look similar to a rotor blade.This will allow me to bend it up or down if required.Will just have to suck it and see !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Regards SamImage Insert: 85.05

[asra]

Hay Sami !I have a few questions for ya .... I asume that you opted for the vert stablizer and rudder combo so you have some way of anchoring the "T" tail to the frame solidly.... I see 2 cables on each side. I am wondering how stable it is ???? I mean the Tail section itself.can you wiggle it ? or is it realy solid ? it took me a few trys before i got the tail section good and solid on my gyro... and sense I am thinking of makeing one like yours I am wondering if I can attach it solid enough or not ! How did you attach the center tube in the vert Stablizer infront of the rudder ? is it a pin and socket arrangement ?or did you bore a hole all the way through the frame tubes and pin it that way ? thank ya' Kind Sir ! Bob......" Momm'a alwayse told me , Son the impossable is only a little bit Harder... and ya know I do believe She was RIGHT ! "

[asra]

BobThe Dragonfly's T tail is very solid and sturdy.The key to it is bolting every thing.The fin has square box tubing as its main spar, which is bolted to the keel,using as you said a bolt and socket x 2.It also has another smaller square box section at the rear of the fin.Rudder is made of 2 sheets with a alloy tube on the fin end for hindging, and a very simple half folded box section for additional strength in the middle of the rudder.All sheet is then rivited to these sections.Hopefully you can see it in the pic.Below is also a photo of it after 3.5 hours of flying yesterday, not sure if I should call it a gyro or dirt bike.Regards Sam.Image Insert: 67.94 KBImage Insert: 82.15 KB