Unusual Sighting (What was that?)

Yesterday, we departed Falcon Field, South of Atlanta (also the home of
Aircraft Spruce East) and noticed traffic at about 10 O'clock high. At
first, I thought it was one of the Diamond Eclipse trainers that routinely
fly out of Falcon. Low wings with a high aspect ratio, skinny aft fuselage,
trigear... As we got closer, it was obvious that it wasn't an Eclipse..

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and had a
V-tail.

What was that thing?

UFO???

Did (or does) Sonex make a V-tail motorglider?

Scott


Kyle Boatright wrote:
Yesterday, we departed Falcon Field, South of Atlanta (also the home of
Aircraft Spruce East) and noticed traffic at about 10 O'clock high. At
first, I thought it was one of the Diamond Eclipse trainers that routinely
fly out of Falcon. Low wings with a high aspect ratio, skinny aft fuselage,
trigear... As we got closer, it was obvious that it wasn't an Eclipse..

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and had a
V-tail.

What was that thing?



--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)

Was this it??

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/aircraft/xenos.html

Scott


Scott wrote:

UFO???

Did (or does) Sonex make a V-tail motorglider?

Scott


Kyle Boatright wrote:

Yesterday, we departed Falcon Field, South of Atlanta (also the home
of Aircraft Spruce East) and noticed traffic at about 10 O'clock high.
At first, I thought it was one of the Diamond Eclipse trainers that
routinely fly out of Falcon. Low wings with a high aspect ratio,
skinny aft fuselage, trigear... As we got closer, it was obvious that
it wasn't an Eclipse..

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and
had a V-tail.

What was that thing?



--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)

Don't think so. Don't forget the "skinny" aft fuselage I described. It was
wasp waisted, like the current Diamonds or maybe a Lancair.

For what it is worth, I don't think it was a Moni either.

KB

"Scott" wrote in message
news
Was this it??

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/aircraft/xenos.html

Scott


Scott wrote:

UFO???

Did (or does) Sonex make a V-tail motorglider?

Scott


Kyle Boatright wrote:

Yesterday, we departed Falcon Field, South of Atlanta (also the home of
Aircraft Spruce East) and noticed traffic at about 10 O'clock high. At
first, I thought it was one of the Diamond Eclipse trainers that
routinely fly out of Falcon. Low wings with a high aspect ratio, skinny
aft fuselage, trigear... As we got closer, it was obvious that it
wasn't an Eclipse..

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and
had a V-tail.

What was that thing?



--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)

Like all UFOs, I don't suppose you got a good photo!

Maybe a Robin ATL L as in the article below? Doubtful, as it looks
British, but I can't help thinking it approriate with "ATL" in the name
I don't think you would have mistaken it for several of the others
listed in the article

http://www.answers.com/topic/v-tail

Scott


Kyle Boatright wrote:
Don't think so. Don't forget the "skinny" aft fuselage I described. It was
wasp waisted, like the current Diamonds or maybe a Lancair.

For what it is worth, I don't think it was a Moni either.

KB

"Scott" wrote in message
news
Was this it??

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/aircraft/xenos.html

Scott


Scott wrote:


UFO???

Did (or does) Sonex make a V-tail motorglider?

Scott


Kyle Boatright wrote:


Yesterday, we departed Falcon Field, South of Atlanta (also the home of
Aircraft Spruce East) and noticed traffic at about 10 O'clock high. At
first, I thought it was one of the Diamond Eclipse trainers that
routinely fly out of Falcon. Low wings with a high aspect ratio, skinny
aft fuselage, trigear... As we got closer, it was obvious that it
wasn't an Eclipse..

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and
had a V-tail.

What was that thing?


--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)




--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)

It very well could have been a Robin. The fuselage looks very Diamond like.
The size and proportions look right too.



"Scott" wrote in message
.. .
Like all UFOs, I don't suppose you got a good photo!

Maybe a Robin ATL L as in the article below? Doubtful, as it looks
British, but I can't help thinking it approriate with "ATL" in the name
I don't think you would have mistaken it for several of the others listed
in the article

http://www.answers.com/topic/v-tail

Scott


Kyle Boatright wrote:
Don't think so. Don't forget the "skinny" aft fuselage I described. It
was wasp waisted, like the current Diamonds or maybe a Lancair.

For what it is worth, I don't think it was a Moni either.

KB

"Scott" wrote in message
news
Was this it??

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/aircraft/xenos.html

Scott


Scott wrote:


UFO???

Did (or does) Sonex make a V-tail motorglider?

Scott


Kyle Boatright wrote:


Yesterday, we departed Falcon Field, South of Atlanta (also the home of
Aircraft Spruce East) and noticed traffic at about 10 O'clock high. At
first, I thought it was one of the Diamond Eclipse trainers that
routinely fly out of Falcon. Low wings with a high aspect ratio,
skinny aft fuselage, trigear... As we got closer, it was obvious that
it wasn't an Eclipse..

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and
had a V-tail.

What was that thing?


--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)




--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)

Perhaps this http://corvaircruiser.com/ ?


"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..
Yesterday, we departed Falcon Field, South of Atlanta (also the home of
Aircraft Spruce East) and noticed traffic at about 10 O'clock high. At first,
I thought it was one of the Diamond Eclipse trainers that routinely fly out of
Falcon. Low wings with a high aspect ratio, skinny aft fuselage, trigear...
As we got closer, it was obvious that it wasn't an Eclipse..

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and had a
V-tail.

What was that thing?

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and had a
V-tail.

What was that thing?


Probably some sort of motorglider. I've seen both pusher and tractor
prop motorgliders with a V-tail with an aft fuselage that looks like
the Diamond series.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

Harry Frey

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:23:23 -0800, wright1902glider
wrote:

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and had a
V-tail.

What was that thing?


Probably some sort of motorglider. I've seen both pusher and tractor

With a 16:1 glide ratio? My 3100 # Deb is well better than that.

prop motorgliders with a V-tail with an aft fuselage that looks like
the Diamond series.

It looks like a fast ultralight that would quallify for sport plane.

Roger (K8RI)


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

Harry Frey

I concur with Roger. I don't believe the J-5 Marco
(http://tinyurl.com/38qamk) was ever intended to be considered a
motor-glider. (I believe the official US term is "self-launched glider".)
The wings would need to be extended to 13+ meters.

In order to make the J-5 as efficient as possible, many sailplane design
characteristics were employed. (full span flaperons, single retractable gear
option, spoilers, molded composite construction, etc)

The Flight Design CT is also a very clean aircraft. If your landing
approach is a bit fast, you will float the full length of the runway. I
have often thought that adding spoilers to the CT would solve the this.

"V" tail sailplane designs were common in the 1960s.
(http://tinyurl.com/27esfn and http://tinyurl.com/2w6fuk) I was surprised
to see the design reappear in UAVs.

Wayne
HP-14 N990
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder
W7ADK




"Roger (K8RI)" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:23:23 -0800, wright1902glider
wrote:

Why? Well, it was slower than the Diamonds, was relatively small, and
had a
V-tail.

What was that thing?


Probably some sort of motorglider. I've seen both pusher and tractor

With a 16:1 glide ratio? My 3100 # Deb is well better than that.

prop motorgliders with a V-tail with an aft fuselage that looks like
the Diamond series.

It looks like a fast ultralight that would quallify for sport plane.

Roger (K8RI)


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

Harry Frey