Flying motorized bicycles

[Bikeguy Joe]

Re: Flying MBs

I have flown a hang glider, not the easiest to fly. Rookies can get into a sharp and unrecoverable turn and fly back into the hill you jumped from- ouchy at best. I have flown a few different ultralights and the lighter the better.

Right now we are working on re-habbing a Legal Eagle part 103 legal ultralight with a half VW engine. It takes off at 30 mph, about the slowest you'll find except for a powered parachute, those take off, climb, descend and land at around 25-28 mph.

 

[Dan]

Re: Flying MBs

Very kewl Joe. I thank you greatly for sharing your knowledge. Funny part of all this is when I talk to folks about building and flying a motor bike/boat, PPl sort of grin at the "poor delusional guy" Even Carol who has had my back for over 20 yrs gives me that look and I have done some insane things that couldn't possibly work, but did. (Even after showing vids of working flying 3 wheeled boats)

Found out there are a couple of gyro plane folks near by. I have a ton of research to do on them but really love the concept and look. The "cool" factor seems to over ride the rational. But Think first build should be glider wing. or.... lol

"a half VW engine" Cracked me up, dunno why. But hope you are using the working half.

Workin' on a in-wheel engine that I think is going to be a winner. No one has the slightest problem with that concept but if I try to make it fly or float, that would be crazy....

 

[Saddletramp1200]

Re: Flying MBs

A flying hot dog cart. Or a floating one. Could work!

 

[hiker472]

Re: Flying MBs

I have to agree with the hang glider problems.......remember that guy that slammed into that building in Florida last summer? If you have bluffs in CT you're really going to have to be careful gliding around those because they can have updrafts and also downdrafts which can pull you right out of the sky. If the eagles and the ospreys are up there gliding on the air currents, you can bet it's gonna be a good day to fly!

Nevertheless, to fly is bliss no matter how it's done. All the flying contraptions out there have their advantages and disadvantages and no matter what they are, people continue to fly them. The key is to know the limits of the aircraft--what it can do and what it can't. Personally, I would attempt to fly anything that can get of the ground, but that's just me, however I do have my favorites. I don't like ultralights unless they have ailerons. I'll fly one without just to fly, but I would never own one! I have always liked gyrocopters but have yet to fly one........someday I will, regardless of what anyone thinks of them!

It's good you found some people into it around there and now it's only a small matter of time before you will visit the eagles lair!

 

[Dan]

Re: Flying MBs

Hiker, what are your thoughts on the boat and flying over water part. My thinking on adding the boat aspect to it is safety for others I might drop in on and drawing attention to the floating hot dog cart/convenience store.(Going to sell ((oddly enough)) hot dogs drinks, coffee sunglasses etc)

So buzzing around and above that boat would draw attention and sales

From a marketing point of view, is a good idea. From a Vehicle capable of flight, maybe not so much. But is it worth it, do you think?

Aside from the wind tunnel effect of the contour of the river, I don't know if the river it self will have any great effect. But I am just learning this stuff and don't actually know.

 

[hiker472]

Re: Flying MBs

Dan, I think anything is possible. One thing that has to be in place for flight is weight. The heavier it is, the bigger it's got to be. Check this link out: Purchase a used flying boat and see this flying boat.
Click on one of the pics there and you'll get a better view of this particular one. I didn't even know that something like this existed until now and it looks like something right up my alley!

As far as a hotdog stand business goes, I couldn't tell you. But one thing I can is that even if it didn't pan out, you'd still be able to fly your boat. If no one else has one except for you, you may end up building them for those people that see you that are always saying, "Is it a bird?, Is it Loon?, No, it's Dan, and I got to get myself one of those things!"

You know, trying a hot dog stand on one of these, even if it didn't pan out, would be a great way to meet potential buyers for one of these things, whereby you, who hold the secrets of it, could make good money building and selling them. Also, having the know-how to fly one, you would also be able to teach your buyers how to fly it.

That place you found that teaches hang gliding? Hook up with them and learn all there is to know. Also, if you can hook up with anyone with a plane of some sort and get some flying time to learn basic flight, you will do well.
Information and experience is power!

 

[hiker472]

Re: Flying MBs

I don't know enough about these hanglider type ultralights and looking at that flying boat, I wonder if you could pull a cord or something and fold that wing up for docking purposes............

 

[Dan]

Re: Flying MBs

Thanks Hiker, awesome link!! Printed out the pic and almost have Carol thinking I can do this, snork snork.

You make some great points about the biz aspects. Never put all your eggs in one basket. Being in one place and offering 2 or more products or services is win/win. Right now every one of my endeavors are summer or good weather oriented. Big mistake on my part.

Gonna use your line for marketing some day. "... Is it a Loon...." LOL! Ayup, it is. (Really did LOL when I read that. Woke the dog and made Carol go; Wut?")

Did I just hijack my own thread? It is tiering constantly hijacking other folks threads.

Another kewl point of going gyro is it can be built from off the counter parts or machined cheaply. A tilt able "lazy Susan" with a handle, an engine and a prop. Looking at the cost of some ultra lights and small aircraft, wow!! I want some of that there market!!!

 

[Dan]

Re: Flying MBs

Wow, just cought the price on that one. Adding up the coast to build I keep coming up with a round 6K. They are asking 20 for a demo.

 

[Dave31]

Re: Flying MBs

I've seen those flying boats on the speed channel...it was on Power Boats or something. Real cool Too bad we do not have enough lakes here in AZ for something like that.

 

[Dan]

Re: Flying MBs

I've seen those flying boats on the speed channel...it was on Power Boats or something. Real cool Too bad we do not have enough lakes here in AZ for something like that.

Fair, forgo the boat part. 3 wheel barrow wheels, a prop and an engine and your good to go!

(Note to self) Although sand would probably hurt more then crashing in to water. But not for as long....

 

[hiker472]

Re: Flying MBs

Right now every one of my endeavors are summer or good weather oriented. Big mistake on my part.

I wouldn't look at it this way Dan. This time of the year can be used to soak up information like a sponge. There is a lot of flying-related stuff on the web and there's nothing like free information! Yahoo groups may have something too. There is a lot of pilots and pilot wannabee's out there and you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a group or a forum where people are asking questions and learning new things.

Also you can subscribe to various monthly flight magazines which will also help you. They got ultraLight mags, sport plane mags, etc. I'm famous for gleaning the good info out of them and cutting the pics I like out and pasting them on my walls!

I also like to acquire free catalogs from flying related places..............what can I say? I like airplane stuff!

 

[hiker472]

Re: Flying MBs

Wow, just cought the price on that one. Adding up the coast to build I keep coming up with a round 6K. They are asking 20 for a demo.

That is their price, but I think that it may be possible to build it cheaper. I get a catalog (free) from some aircraft place that sells everything for the structure like aircraft aluminum.

I've seen an ultralight with that hanglider wing up top go for as little as $2500. There again, the weight is the key. The question then is can a boat of some sort be swapped with the lawnchair and keep it flight worthy?

 

[Dan]

Re: Flying MBs

Just part of why I am loving the gyro thing. Be really cheap to build/mod one from existing parts. I really must be missing some thing though. (aside from the "bunting" thing. Thanks again for the heads up on that one BGJoe) I would think the UL crowd would be more in to them if not. Or could it be that it just looks and works in a so off the wall manner that folks are not attracted to them?

Link to a really good explanation of gyro plane function

Kewl freebee book on Gyro-ing. (is2 a word. its right there on the interweb) The Book of the Autogyro

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Re: Flying MBs

You can easily build a part 103 legal gyro. I can't comment on the cost to do it though.

Once my Dad and I built a hang glider out of bamboo and clear 3 mil plastic sheet. It cost waaay under a hundred bucks and we had a lot of fun with it. It was not made to last very long though, a summer an it was pretty worn out.

As for a "DREAM BOOK" go to Pilot Supplies, Avionics, and Homebuilt Aircraft Parts from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co. and get one of their free catalogs.....lot's of good info on uses of the products they sell.

 

[mechanickid]

Re: Flying MBs

now thats just scary! but i'd do it :] i actually built a hangglider out of wood and cardboard when i was 7 it had a 16 foot wingspan, i ran down a hill with it into the wind and it took off a tiny bit... but it was too heavy though and then it broke.

 

[eDJ]

Re: Flying MBs

I'd like to mention some things I haven't seen in this "Oh so interesting" thread.

Back when people were first talking about flying cars there was one unique concept:

What made it unique was that the wing and engine sit on supports at an airport awaiting the owner of such a special car (appearently made by the same company) to show up and rent the wing & motor. The connection was thru a sunroof where the flight controls were made accessable. When flown and landed at another designated airport anywhere across the country, the motorist could then drive on to his final destination leaving the wing/motor behind. Kinda like the U-haul trailer system today. I'm guessing the pilot of such a system would have to have the special car and rating with the company who had the type cetification etc. The last revival of this concept I've seen was in the mid 1980's using the little Honda CRX. I doubt you could do this today but I still see amazing possibilities with it in larger frontier countries such as Australia, Africa, South America etc.

So, to extend the idea to MB's ?

Well once again.....in the 1950's (since this hasn't been mentioned with rotary wings yet) there was a movement for JetTip rotors where counter torquing small rotors aft weren't required. Some very interesting little 2 seat military observation platforms evolved. (but they were loud) With todays technology
for canceling noise, however, these noise parameters may be better delt with. I could even see a "syncropter" design (the invention of WW2 by Anton Flettner Fl 265 Kolibri or "Hummingbird") with the jet tips as a viable solution.

So.....could a tipjet rotory be configured such that a MB'er could pull under it as it sits waiting. The pilot hook up securely into the flying copter frame, start up and fly a short distance to cross a barrier such as a river in order to land and dismount from the copter where he could then go on his trip to work? I can imagine a tube frame for the copter where the bike rider uses the foot controls on it's frame resting his feet on them while in flight yet still sitting on the bike seat. The flight controls for the copter would be clustered on the hand controls so that it could even hover for a landing without having to try and use the bicycle handelbars
at the same time. Of course there would be a wind screen on the copter but other wise be an open air frame. Simple, light in weight. I cold see an electric motor/generator used to accelerate the rotor up to where it could sustain operation of the tip jets....and whatever type of fuel used would be adequate for a few minutes of flight time. And yes it could have even have floats if necessary.

But in this scenerio you have a powered rotor platform that's used to take you where the bike can go on it's journey and then back. I don't envision this as a cross country concept. Just a means to get from one area to another so one could enjoy the efficiency of MB'ing
.

 

[jacliny]

Re: Flying MBs

Dan , we're about to make history!

 

[jacliny]

Re: Flying MBs

Dan, Chrissy has been also watching my back for over 30 yrs , she just laughs and agrees it might be a fun thing to do. I've been dreaming my whole life of building something i could fly in, she knows this and has made sure my insurance premiums are up to date so what the hay!Shes joined me on all sorts of adventures, thaught her to dive etc. etc. but shes a little hesitant about flying with me. After she sees how much fun we're haveing she'll want one of her own! We could have a whole squadron!

 

[Ilikeabikea]

Re: Flying MBs

Wasp Systems - Wasp SP Mk II

Check this out. You could get a hang glider and hook this to it and put a bicycle with inflatable pontoons under the hang glider. They make a 100cc and a 120cc version. Looks like it would be tons of fun..............