150 mpg

[Big John]

Jay

Kind of OT but interesting. Would this meet ur requirements? It'd sure
'fly low' on 20 HP.

If they can make a vehicle like this why can't they make an equivalent
bird (speed and HP)?

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/29/high-mileage-lorem

Big John

[Bill Daniels]

Rough calculations:

My "bird" (sailplane) would require only 3.6HP to cruise at 65 knots (20 Lbs
thrust). That works out to about 240MPG. This is using s SFC of .42
Lbs/HP/Hr but ignoring propeller efficiency.

Bill D

"Big John" > wrote in message
...
> Jay
>
> Kind of OT but interesting. Would this meet ur requirements? It'd sure
> 'fly low' on 20 HP.
>
> If they can make a vehicle like this why can't they make an equivalent
> bird (speed and HP)?
>
> http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/29/high-mileage-lorem
>
> Big John

[Jumpin Jahosaphat]

http://www.aircraft-spruce.com/da11.html

Try the above link! based on 75% cruise and .40 SFC (I'm using rounded
figures here) it would us less than 1 GPH to attain 125 mph cruise and it
is flying! He cannot sell plans/kits because the manufacturer of the
engine refuses to let him use it in the plane for, what else, liability!
The same company supplies engines for racing go-carts that have people
lying prone on their backs doing 100+mph, go figure.
John


On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:48:52 -0500, Big John wrote:

> Jay
>
> Kind of OT but interesting. Would this meet ur requirements? It'd sure
> 'fly low' on 20 HP.
>
> If they can make a vehicle like this why can't they make an equivalent
> bird (speed and HP)?
>
> http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/29/high-mileage-lorem
>
> Big John

[Peter Dohm]

"Jumpin Jahosaphat" > wrote in message
...
> http://www.aircraft-spruce.com/da11.html
>
> Try the above link! based on 75% cruise and .40 SFC (I'm using rounded
> figures here) it would us less than 1 GPH to attain 125 mph cruise and it
> is flying! He cannot sell plans/kits because the manufacturer of the
> engine refuses to let him use it in the plane for, what else, liability!
> The same company supplies engines for racing go-carts that have people
> lying prone on their backs doing 100+mph, go figure.
> John
>
>
That really is a very cool concept, but there are a couple of problems:
1) Leeon Davis passed away last year--although his family and others may
still be selling and servicing the design. I really hope that they are
doing so, as the concept deserves to live on.
2) Leeon Davis was physically small, much like Ken Rand, so larger pilots
will probably need to scale the design to fit them. That should still
result in a 100+ mpg airplane for someone 6'1", as I am, which is still
darned good!

I agree with you about the insanity of the liability issue. It is just
further proof that a lot of liability concerns are simply predjudice and
have no actuarial data to back them up--and I am quite sure that includes
many on the part of insurance companies.

Peter