Re: "Biggest balls" award at Oshkosh, or, Do I Just Lack Ambition?

[Mark Smith]

John Ross wrote:
>
> Anybody else see the Strongmobile "Magic Dragon" mock-up?
>
> Here's his website, with photos from Oshkosh.
>
> http://www.strongware.com/dragon/
>
> I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
> Flintstones might fly. Reading this guy's website fills me with a
> morbid fascination combined with astonishment.
>
> JR


Is there anything 'certifiable' about this other than the creator ?
--
Mark Smith
Tri-State Kite Sales
1121 N Locust St
Mt Vernon, IN 47620
1-812-838-6351
http://www.trikite.com

[wmbjk]

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 13:34:49 -0500, John Ross >
wrote:

>Anybody else see the Strongmobile "Magic Dragon" mock-up?
>
>Here's his website, with photos from Oshkosh.
>
>http://www.strongware.com/dragon/
>
>I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
>Flintstones might fly. Reading this guy's website fills me with a
>morbid fascination combined with astonishment.
>
>JR

Nurse! Intravenous almond butter! STAT!
http://www.moller.com/about/history/lifeext/

Dr. Wayne

[Scott]

I'll pass, thank you.

I'm not into airplanes with almost 27 pounds per square foot wing
loading unless they have 2 to 4 engines.

Scott


John Ross wrote:

> Anybody else see the Strongmobile "Magic Dragon" mock-up?
>
> Here's his website, with photos from Oshkosh.
>
> http://www.strongware.com/dragon/
>
> I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
> Flintstones might fly. Reading this guy's website fills me with a
> morbid fascination combined with astonishment.
>
> JR

[jerry wass]

Mark Smith wrote:
> John Ross wrote:
>
>>Anybody else see the Strongmobile "Magic Dragon" mock-up?
>>
>>Here's his website, with photos from Oshkosh.
>>
>>http://www.strongware.com/dragon/
>>
>>I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
>>Flintstones might fly. Reading this guy's website fills me with a
>>morbid fascination combined with astonishment.
>>
>>JR
>
>
>
> Is there anything 'certifiable' about this other than the creator ? Lovett!!

[ORVAL FAIRAIRN]

In article >, Mark Smith >
wrote:

> John Ross wrote:
> >
> > Anybody else see the Strongmobile "Magic Dragon" mock-up?
> >
> > Here's his website, with photos from Oshkosh.
> >
> > http://www.strongware.com/dragon/
> >
> > I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
> > Flintstones might fly. Reading this guy's website fills me with a
> > morbid fascination combined with astonishment.
> >
> > JR
>
>
> Is there anything 'certifiable' about this other than the creator ?


Having read the website, I think that the whole thing is a satire on
Moller's "Skycar." He presents the whole thing with tongue firmly
embedded in cheek! ROTFLMAO!

[Morgans]

"ORVAL FAIRAIRN" > wrote

> Having read the website, I think that the whole thing is a satire on
> Moller's "Skycar." He presents the whole thing with tongue firmly
> embedded in cheek! ROTFLMAO!

I think your assessment is way off on that call. Did you talk to the guy at
all?

Mohler (I think) knows what the hurtles are, for the skycar. This guy (I
think) is so far out in left field, that I think he thinks that were this
done in something other than 1/2" plywood, it would fly! Wowser, wowser,
wowser!

I think anyone with the slightest grasp of the concept of aerodynamics can
see all kind of impossible dreams of the strongcar, or whatever.\

I admire his fortitude to let it all hang out.
--
Jim in NC

[Jim Carriere]

Morgans wrote:
> Mohler (I think) knows what the hurtles are, for the skycar. This guy (I
> think) is so far out in left field, that I think he thinks that were this
> done in something other than 1/2" plywood, it would fly! Wowser, wowser,
> wowser!

Come on, Jim, it just needs a big engine. Enough thrust can make
anything fly. Think F-4 :)

[Morgans]

"Jim Carriere" > wrote

> Come on, Jim, it just needs a big engine. Enough thrust can make
> anything fly. Think F-4 :)

<chuckle> OK, given.
--
Jim in NC

[Matt Whiting]

Jim Carriere wrote:
> Morgans wrote:
>
>> Mohler (I think) knows what the hurtles are, for the skycar. This guy (I
>> think) is so far out in left field, that I think he thinks that were this
>> done in something other than 1/2" plywood, it would fly! Wowser, wowser,
>> wowser!
>
>
> Come on, Jim, it just needs a big engine. Enough thrust can make
> anything fly. Think F-4 :)

You did mean F-104, right? :-)

Matt

[Kevin O'Brien]

On 2005-08-06 14:34:49 -0400, John Ross > said:

> I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
> Flintstones might fly.

Aw, c'mon, John, are you trying to tell us that household plywood,
chicken wire, and Bondo is not the aero-engineering wave of tomorrow?
Or that the Chevy S-10 pickup frame is not ideally suited to flight.

Yes. Much about this was strong indeed -- mostly the aroma.

I am very glad there were no fluids in my upper alimentary canal when I
read Wayne's dry reference to that other nut job, Moller. If you look
around Strong's website for as long as you can stand it you'll find he
shares Moller's interest in new-agey nonsense.

I wish Plaintiff #2 on the pair of them.

The Strong Dragon or whatever his exact name for it -- Rob Finfrock
actually interviewed the guy at length, poor Rob -- reminded me of a
1970s project, the "MIZAR" or "MITZAR" (q.v. via Google). It was a
Pinto (!) attached to the wings, struts, tail feathers and rear engine
of a Cessna 337 Skymaster. It actually flew for about 15 hours.

Then the sheet metal screws (!) holding it together came out. It would
be funny if two people hadn't perished when they hit something big --
California, to be specific.

cheers

-=K=-

Rule #1: Don't hit anything big.

[Morgans]

"Kevin O'Brien" <kevin@org-header-is-my-domain-name> wrote

> reminded me of a
> 1970s project, the "MIZAR" or "MITZAR" (q.v. via Google). It was a
> Pinto (!) attached to the wings, struts, tail feathers and rear engine
> of a Cessna 337 Skymaster. It actually flew for about 15 hours.
>
> Then the sheet metal screws (!) holding it together came out. It would
> be funny if two people hadn't perished when they hit something big --
> California, to be specific.

I don't understand one thing, about the flying Pinto.

Why, or how, did some FAA inspector sign that thing off as airworthy? It
should have seemed quite obvious that the quality of the construction was in
no way up to aircraft construction standards, right?

It should have been criminal, if it wasn't.
--
Jim in NC

[Jim Carriere]

Matt Whiting wrote:

> Jim Carriere wrote:
>
>> Morgans wrote:
>>
>>> Mohler (I think) knows what the hurtles are, for the skycar. This
>>> guy (I
>>> think) is so far out in left field, that I think he thinks that were
>>> this
>>> done in something other than 1/2" plywood, it would fly! Wowser,
>>> wowser,
>>> wowser!
>>
>>
>>
>> Come on, Jim, it just needs a big engine. Enough thrust can make
>> anything fly. Think F-4 :)
>
>
> You did mean F-104, right? :-)

Hmm, point taken. At least the F-4 had wings.

So the Magic Dragon needs to hook up with the Shockwave Jet Truck
guys and get a real powerplant. Maybe they could market a J-79
firewall forward package together at Osh '06.

[Blueskies]

"Richard Riley" > wrote in message ...
> On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 11:53:27 -0400, Kevin O'Brien
> <kevin@org-header-is-my-domain-name> wrote:
>
> :Then the sheet metal screws (!) holding it together came out. It would
> :be funny if two people hadn't perished when they hit something big --
> :California, to be specific.
>
> http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=84720&key=0

9/11..../73

Maybe a premonition...

[Pete Schaefer]

No way. I doubt that the Dragon will fly with anything less than the JSF
STOVL propulsion package.

"Jim Carriere" > wrote in message
.. .
> So the Magic Dragon needs to hook up with the Shockwave Jet Truck
> guys and get a real powerplant. Maybe they could market a J-79
> firewall forward package together at Osh '06.

[Rich S.]

"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
>
> I don't understand one thing, about the flying Pinto.
>
> Why, or how, did some FAA inspector sign that thing off as airworthy? It
> should have seemed quite obvious that the quality of the construction was
> in
> no way up to aircraft construction standards, right?
>
> It should have been criminal, if it wasn't.

Jim.............

You misunderstand the function and responsibilities of the FAA. They do not
give a rip whether your project is airworthy. You must comply with
regulations regarding placards, paperwork, registration, etc. Will it fly?
That's strictly up to you.

Ain't America great?? !!! It's called Freedom and Personal Responsibility.

Rich S.

[john smith]

> Jim Carriere wrote:
>> Come on, Jim, it just needs a big engine. Enough thrust can make
>> anything fly. Think F-4 :)

Matt Whiting wrote:
> You did mean F-104, right? :-)

No, F-4 Phantom II.
In the Sixty's it was referred to as McDonnell's proof of concept that
given enough thrust, even a brick could fly.

[Morgans]

"Rich S." > wrote

> You misunderstand the function and responsibilities of the FAA. They do
not
> give a rip whether your project is airworthy. You must comply with
> regulations regarding placards, paperwork, registration, etc. Will it fly?
> That's strictly up to you.
>
> Ain't America great?? !!! It's called Freedom and Personal Responsibility.

I gotta think that is a bit of a dodge. They ARE concerned if your creation
will fall out of the air on someone's head, right? If the lift strut is
connected with duct tape, and the engine is held on with 10-32 screws and
duct tape, it will pass?

I think most inspectors would find some deficient paperwork, or something,
(I hope) and then be very, very, VERY slow in returning for a re-inspection.
--
Jim in NC

[Morgans]

"Richard Riley" > wrote

> I AM amazed that the flying pinto apparently got a pretty large test
> area over relatively well populated areas. I saw it take off from
> Orange County Airport (SNA), Oxnard is probably 70 miles to the north.
> I assume it was on an experimental/R&D cert.

I had heard that there have been flight test restrictions applied such as
"every other Tuesday on months that have a blue moon, on years that are
multiples of 9," or such nonsense.
--
Jim in NC

[Rich S.]

"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Richard Riley" > wrote
>
>> I AM amazed that the flying pinto apparently got a pretty large test
>> area over relatively well populated areas. I saw it take off from
>> Orange County Airport (SNA), Oxnard is probably 70 miles to the north.
>> I assume it was on an experimental/R&D cert.
>
> I had heard that there have been flight test restrictions applied such as
> "every other Tuesday on months that have a blue moon, on years that are
> multiples of 9," or such nonsense.
> --

That was back in the days when FAA "Inspectors" actually had the training to
assess airworthiness. Budget constraints have severely limited their role.

Rich S.

[ChuckSlusarczyk]

In article >, Mark Smith says...

>> I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
>> Flintstones might fly. Reading this guy's website fills me with a
>> morbid fascination combined with astonishment.
>>
>> JR
>
>
>Is there anything 'certifiable' about this other than the creator ?

I know of somebody that's "certifiable" who could be the test pilot and I bet he
loops ,rolls and spins it. LOL!!

Chuck S

[John Halpenny]

Jim Carriere wrote:

> Matt Whiting wrote:
>
> > Jim Carriere wrote:
> >
> >> Morgans wrote:
> >>
> >>> Mohler (I think) knows what the hurtles are, for the skycar. This
> >>> guy (I
> >>> think) is so far out in left field, that I think he thinks that were
> >>> this
> >>> done in something other than 1/2" plywood, it would fly! Wowser,
> >>> wowser,
> >>> wowser!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Come on, Jim, it just needs a big engine. Enough thrust can make
> >> anything fly. Think F-4 :)
> >
> >
> > You did mean F-104, right? :-)
>
> Hmm, point taken. At least the F-4 had wings.
>
> So the Magic Dragon needs to hook up with the Shockwave Jet Truck
> guys and get a real powerplant. Maybe they could market a J-79
> firewall forward package together at Osh '06.

Oops - I thought you said 'fireball forward' - maybe thats what you should
have said?


--

John Halpenny

Truth is stranger than fiction.
This is why writers and readers are more comfortable with fiction.

[Rick Beebe]

John Ross wrote:
> Anybody else see the Strongmobile "Magic Dragon" mock-up?
>
> Here's his website, with photos from Oshkosh.
>
> http://www.strongware.com/dragon/
>
> I don't mean to be a killjoy, but this thing reminded me of what the
> Flintstones might fly. Reading this guy's website fills me with a
> morbid fascination combined with astonishment.

Oh, that's funny. I saw the thing but instantly put it in the same
category as the Ornithopter. I had no idea he was serious.

--Rick

[Kevin O'Brien]

On 2005-08-07 13:14:59 -0400, Richard Riley > said:

> http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=84720&key=0

That is indeed the one, although the brief synopsis on line doesn't
mention the sheet metal screws.

Being a Pinto, "postcrash fire" shouldn't surprize anyone.

--
cheers

-=K=-

Rule #1: Don't hit anything big.