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Thread: Norm's Flying Boat UL Flight Test Progress

  1. #111
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    We can plan for it and see what turns up in the spring I have been trying to correlate the time line by my photographic record . I can not testify to being a good record keeper. I did take pictures lots of them. some where lost but they were contemplated design even spent a season and built a model flying wing that never went anywhere. In 05 I was 57 years old then I think I started the plane with the commitment to build the roll former that makes the U channel the ribs are made from.Completed that Jan. 07 The rest of the story is all R & D tooling to attain a result acceptable to a 103- 7 compliant UL
    Last edited by Norman Langlois; 09-07-2017 at 02:01 PM.

  2. #112
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    While in Fl. I will be setting up another computer environment from which to communicate. complete with all my airplane stuff and work on it.

  3. #113
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    There is a little time left before going south for the winter. I have been working on the rear float support. I intend to redo the whole system. While doing the truss parts I though to share how I anneal and stamp bend or most any deforming of 6061 T6 and other hardened aluminum.
    I use first a black marker where I intend to deform then heat with a torch preferably a plumbers torch since I have melted many with the rose bud at work. One needs only heat till the ink burns away. If using the propane torch a little extra time helps .

    Attempting to deforms tubing without heating results in cracks . I needed to create flattened specific lengths to make a new truss. Welding aluminum on my plane has been avoided when ever possible . The rear truss is light duty . This sees landing but not sever forces applied . during taxi and take off again not much force. I have broken it once and that was over the road . I now support the plane so not to load the support subject to shock from ruts and bumps .
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  4. #114
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    The truss in the last picture can not be reused and shows the rear float in its first form.The latest revision has more foam applied and the new float will be less of the deep water portion and more of the upper. The last revision works well and supports the plane well when taxiing. I am chancing it again,by removing some of the lower portion. I am not sure that it has assist to getting up on plane, or actually inhibits. If the later is true than drag will be reduced while maintaining static and taxi stability.Name:  127_0096.jpg
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    I will be trying to reduce bow wave with a new hull and the piling up of that wave on the rear floats the latest video shows that to be responsible for much of the first 6 seconds after applied power.

  5. #115

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    I use a Sharpie black marker and propane torch to anneal aluminum also. Works good.
    Interesting tube truss connections. Should be some diagonal members however, I think, for a true truss.

  6. #116
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    True Bill
    putting a name to the structure that's all. This type of support has worked well for me with the cable brace. It is very light and still resists rotation with the ends bent as they are they form 3 torsion tubes with the spreaders limiting deformation while still allowing some flex . the new one will also make use of torsion bar/tube configuration with the three members coming to the same plane. with complex bends. Then joined to the tube skeleton that is embedded in solid foam . these floats with there supporting structure weigh less than 10 lbs each.

    I have been fortunate to have use of a stick mandrel tube bender this can make 4 sizes up to 7/8 and bend 180 degree with no heat required.
    I used the anneal process for a lot of the build. One of the toughest bends is a 1 inch .062 tube had to always heat before bending. I found the ink worked well as the indicator, but still better when using the propane torch, I lost a few parts using high heat devices, was much harder to detect over heating.
    The lighten holes that are also coined are cold pressed. The bending of sheet limited to 60 degrees eliminate other wise cracked structure since 6061-T6 does not bend well at 90 and greater . If I do another air frame I plan to use a 6 sided structure . Unlike the boom and spar having \_/ this shape . It will use three short and 3 long still forming the triangle with one main side riveted and joined at two shorts. I also taper my structure , both to reduce weight and to add torque resistance.

  7. #117
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    The new support frame work. After removing the old floats I weighed them .What was once under 10# now is 15
    I do expect the remake will be less than 10
    I'd like to point out all the compound angles and complex bends that make up the mount point these make a very good structure and have little give for the weight. this is better than the old setup. With the cable brace it works.
    While most of the frame is identical The foam support skeleton is not but should be less and the reworked old floats have much more glass and resin. One might want less but often gets more. size and surface area will make the difference. I need to hold the same displacement.

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    Last edited by Norman Langlois; 10-05-2017 at 02:05 PM.

  8. #118
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    I have made changes to the angle of the floats . Static should have the tips up more and the inflight angle will be level on top with bottom at attack yet to be determined.

    the portion of the float frame that projects down is a rest point and will be protruding from the main float. this part is always suffering gravel abrasion at the launch. The old floats were glassed over but quickly worn down to raw aluminum. I may panel and fill that part since it acts like a ruder in the water and if weight allows, may create an actual water ruder attachment here.
    Last edited by Norman Langlois; 10-05-2017 at 02:00 PM.

  9. #119
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    After working out the angle of the old floats I drew and super imposed the new float. this new frame cam out higher than desired. so a change to float shape and inner skeleton was required. the new float is lighter and does in fact apply more displacement. While this may look to be more drag and inhibit to rotation they will be higher out of the water at high speed plan than the old system when finished.

    To change the subject I had to revisit Hot Wire foam cutting and wondered if others had Ideas on home devices to get the job done.
    When I looked online I saw hobby kits and home made cutters using 12 V battery chargers. I also used one . I also have integrated a dimmer switch in an extension cord to get a finer adjustment. This gives me control of the battery chargers output and make adjustments to different wire size and cutters. heavier wire bent to cut shape and knife cuts. Some pictures for you from the new floats.Name:  127_0160.jpg
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    I also cored some of the panels. the make up is 3 two inch plus two 1 1/2 panel cored the middle 3 for a 10 oz. saving to each float

  10. #120
    Norman Langlois's Avatar
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    Some numbers,this foam weighs 2# per cubic ft. these floats weigh 3.25# each and equal 202# of displacement. After coring they weigh 2lbs 10 oz. each. This is before expanded foam applied. I use a urethane foam as adhesive and filler. total weight to this point 8.25# with aluminum all support structure

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