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

"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

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.

"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...

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.

"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.

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.

"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

"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

"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.

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