On Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 1:12:18 PM UTC-7, DaleKramer wrote:
Hi Steve,
The transitions should be very quick. Thrust to weight will be about 1.3/1 so acceleration into cruise should be very quick. Landing transitions will basically be just a normal final approach to a touchdown spot but with the idea of being 50 ft high (or so) when you get there. This transition will be very easy to verify and demonstrate with the 1/4 scale. Can always add a few more pounds of battery if needed.
I am hoping to design the gear such that a single person can tip it from tail to nosegear if it gets windy for a tiedown.
What will be strange is that the 'ideal' landing direction will be a 90 degree crosswind landing wrt wind efects.
Great comments!
I saw that for Nephi, hope it continues for a while. Can't afford a glider yet.
Thanks,
Dale

It will be interesting to see how that vertical landing works out with the model. I can't visualize how a normal approach speed can get you to a vertical position. Without thrust vector control it seems like it would require a high approach speed in order to then pull up to a vertical position and begin backing.

Have you modeled the vertical landing? How high does the aircraft get if things are done correctly? What speed does it back down at? Will the landing be autonomous or pilot controlled?

I can swallow the idea of vertical take-off much more readily than the landing. Maybe I'm just not visualizing the dynamics of the landing problem correctly.