UFO Helithruster

[mad max]

I"m just making small talk here Mad Muz as you seem to be a man of knowledge and the forum is going a bit flat. What do you think of the Helithruster? I know it"s very heavy but even then I"ve had a report that it"s been tested reliably as using 10 LPH with an EJ25 in it"s old form due to very low drag. I believe Geof is cooperating with ASRA to fit a more efficient tail and drop the weight radically. My interest lies in the fact that i"ll be in Auckland next week and am going to have a look at the modified version. Besides, you seem cold and lonely out here on the forum. No-ones talking

[birdy]

10l per hour????At idle maybe.

[MadMuz]

Yeah, not much happening....

[mad max]

The fuel consumsion test was done twice as the ASRA TA /CFI could not believe the results.

[Tim]

I"d have to agree with Birdy and Muz.It may have a fairly wind efficient cab but 10 l/hr - when pigs fly. Even with a slippery cab, (and there are many other even more efficient ones out there) the high weight is the killer, converting directly to considerable extra rotor drag, and you just cannot negate that with a slippery cab, no matter how much grease you put on it.

[gyroo]

Max -The published Helithruster empty weight is 430 kilograms, which means it is really only legal to fly as a single seater with a full fuel tank of 100 litres if the 600 kilogram CASA gross weight is not to be exceeded. Put in 1 x 90 kg occupant and 70 kilgrams of fuel, the margin left is only 10 kg.

[mad max]

Thanks Mark for that valuble info. Tim I am only quoting one of your comrades figures. 10 ltrs. seem unreal to me but he"s an experienced and reliable chap. Maybe he was one up and puttering around in thermals

[Disco]

I think they get those figures by using the hour meter which is time based. They warm up for 10 mins. Taxi for ten more mins. Then muck around with the prerotator. Finally they fly one circuit, land, read the hour meter and measure the fuel top up.

[Briglow.Joe]

10l per hour????At idle maybe.Sounds pretty lean to me.

[birdy]

A mob in north.........Yep, just hitch up anatha mob of nags, thatll do it. : 10Lph, sorry, this idiot wasnt born yesterday.A single place 912 on floaty blades will only just do that puttn round in good air.Wunder wot other doosys this TA/CFI has been preachn. >

[aussie_paul]

I think they get those figures by using the hour meter which is time based. They warm up for 10 mins. Taxi for ten more mins. Then muck around with the prerotator. Finally they fly one circuit, land, read the hour meter and measure the fuel top up.

[MadMuz]

True Paul.... with vehicles, they prolly do fuel consumption testing on dynos or "theoretically" and in certain conditions with people trained to drive as frugally as possible with blueprinted engines on fuel to a perfect grade with the first prototypes.... I bet when the production models start getting driven on the street by Joe Average, they don"t get anywhere near the supposed fuel consumption.... same for emissions

[mad max]

What I"ve noticed after driving for the last 55 yrs. that the average motorist is heavy footed and uses un-nessesary amounts of fuel because he has an ego problem and subconscioussly wants to get to his destination faster. He sits on your butt trying to get you to speed up because he is living in the future and not the present. He is also trying to compensate for having a small anatomy part. Some guys fly gyro"s in a similar manner

[birdy]

Zactly Max.Im often told i fly too low n slow.You only gota miss the ground, and an inch is as good asa mile.I was headn home from a job and was yakn to the r22 bloke id doubled with.I asked him where he went, he said he was not far in frunt of me, 4000" up.I asked WTF are you do,n up there.He said there wasa 4 kt tailwind up there. I asked, so?He sayd he was saven time n fuel.I said, realy?And how much fuel did it cost you to get up there, and at a slower n cruise AS?The ol ferel near beet him home, on 1/4 the fuel. He also reconed the sun set later up there, so he,s got more time.

[mad max]

If you live in the past you are depressed. If you live in the future you become anxious. If you live in the present you are at peace. And you use less fuel Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and now a gift. Thats"s why it"s called the "present" Fly high and happy, Yee-Haaar, get high on life ;D