Egregoros

That's a bit of a challenge because then I need an aircraft - at least an RC... But that would be fun because it would give me a business justification to have one...

Cliff "It Never Happened" Secord 🇺🇸🇦🇹

Be sure to read "Helicopter Theory" by Wayne Johnson. There you will get great insights on refining your concept and dynamic scaling for any modeling work you intend to do.

Additionally, you can also validate the aerodynamic modeling of your rotor in QBlade (open source).

Caleb James DeLisle

I'm not a aerodynamics guy, I'm a machinist (well, these days I'm a programmer, but I did have 4 years of it). So I'll just take the blade off of a ground adjustable prop and clamp them in. Then all I need to care about is balance, soundness, and making sure my joints don't max out their travel.

Caleb James DeLisle

Alright Cliff, here's my pitch, tell me what you think:
* You're making an SLSA and you've decided it's time to go proprietary engine route (lets imagine)
* I have a hub that will clamp existing ground-adjustable prop blades and all you need to adjust them is to wire up a brush to get power down the prop shaft to a servo motor in the spinner.
* You can get this thing made at PCBWay, it's just CNC lathe and milling work, every shop knows how to do this.
* It uses ball joints so basically all of the load is centrifugal. My invention is the way to pitch the blades while they're being held in ball joints.
* EAB and non-commercial gets CNC codes for free, anyone selling the hub to the public can license it for 20% of their sale price, if you're selling it as part of your plane, you pay $100 per unit. With the license you get all of the test results that I have, so you have a head start to your MOSAIC documentation.

Does this sound attractive?

Cliff "It Never Happened" Secord 🇺🇸🇦🇹

Why do you need to articulate an LSA-class propeller? There is no need to. With as low an MMOI they have, articulating them will introduce way more problems than something like this will solve.

But if you have the data to make a solid case for this, we'd be open to at least looking into the concept

𝓦𝓪𝓲𝓯𝓾.

there are plenty of LSA props that are electrically articulating, and when MOSAIC hits most small GA aircraft will fit into the LSA category.

Caleb James DeLisle

Yea, that was basically the thought.

But I wouldn't try to pitch it to anybody who wasn't already casually dreaming about being able to include variable pitch in their offering...

𝓦𝓪𝓲𝓯𝓾.

I flew a Grumman with one of these electrically variable pitch props from MT once. The owner STC'd an O360 with a fixed pitch 2 blade to a electrically variable 3 blade. You toggle pitch with a 3 position switch. I thought it was pretty neat https://www.mt-propeller.com/mt/en/products/propeller-systems/electric-propellers-1086/

Replying to @AWIVR@nicecrew.digital

Cliff "It Never Happened" Secord 🇺🇸🇦🇹

We'll be doing a Rotax 916 iS A driving a Sensenich 3B0 prop on an FP CS hub on our bird.

Full FADEC control from the powertrain... set & forget. Prop set at the push of a button.

It'll make me yearn for the days of constantly screwing around with throttle, pitch, mixture and manifold pressure! Fuck it...who am I kidding?😆

Replies

Replying to @CliffSecord@nicecrew.digital

𝓦𝓪𝓲𝓯𝓾.

I fly PC-12 NG's now. No FADEC, but one PCL to control everything. Managing three levers is for the birds.

Replying to @AWIVR@nicecrew.digital

Cliff "It Never Happened" Secord 🇺🇸🇦🇹

A great, great airplane.

One of our accounts has us doing aero analysis work on the U-28 variants for AFSOC.

Replying to @CliffSecord@nicecrew.digital

𝓦𝓪𝓲𝓯𝓾.

I may or may not be incredibly familiar with those lol.

The program ends next year with no real replacement.

Replying to @AWIVR@nicecrew.digital

Cliff "It Never Happened" Secord 🇺🇸🇦🇹

Ever try out a Piaggio P.180?

Cheesy-looking but man, she is a dream to fly!

Replying to @CliffSecord@nicecrew.digital

𝓦𝓪𝓲𝓯𝓾.

there's one that flies in and out of OKC all the time. I'd rather have a King Air. Less to stress about when something breaks lol

Replying to @AWIVR@nicecrew.digital

Cliff "It Never Happened" Secord 🇺🇸🇦🇹

For sure. Having parts & maintenance handy across the nation are always a good thing.

Replying to @CliffSecord@nicecrew.digital

Caleb James DeLisle