What is the name of an aircraft without a motor. Glider test drive: how to fly without a motor
People have been obsessed with the idea of taking to the air for centuries. In the myths of almost all peoples there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known flying machines were bird-like wings. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar by falling off a cliff. And although such attempts ended, as a rule, tragically, people came up with more and more complex aircraft designs. Iconic aircraft will be discussed in our today's review.
1. Bamboo helicopter
One of the world's oldest flying machines, the bamboo helicopter (also known as the bamboo dragonfly or the Chinese pinwheel) is a toy that flies up when its main shaft is quickly spun. Invented in China around 400 B.C., the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.
2. Flying flashlight
A flying lantern is a small balloon made of paper and a wooden frame with a hole in the bottom, under which a small fire is kindled. It is believed that the Chinese experimented with flying lanterns as early as the 3rd century BC, but traditionally, their invention is attributed to the sage and commander Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).
3. Balloon
The hot air balloon is the first successful technology of human flight on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was carried out by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d "Arlande in 1783 in Paris in a balloon (on a leash) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Modern balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest balloon flight is 7672 km from Japan to North Canada).
4. Solar balloon
Technically this type hot air balloon flies by heating the air in it with the help of solar radiation. As a rule, such balloons are made of black or dark material. While they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balloons are large enough to lift a person into the air.
5 Ornithopter
The ornithopter, which was inspired by the flight of birds, bats and insects, is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but a few manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such a flying machine was developed by Leonardo da Vinci back in the 15th century. In 1894, Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer, made the first manned flight in an ornithopter.
6. Parachute
Made from lightweight and durable fabric (similar to nylon), a parachute is a device used to slow an object through the atmosphere. A description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating back to 1470. In modern days, parachutes are used to lower a variety of cargo, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.
7. Kite
Originally built by stretching silk over a split bamboo frame, kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. Over a long period of time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further improve this simple flying machine. For example, kites capable of carrying a person are believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.
8. Airship
The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. In the beginning airships used hydrogen, but due to the high explosiveness of this gas, most airships built after the 1960s began to use helium. The airship may also be powered and the crew and/or payload located in one or more "nacelles" suspended below the gas cylinder.
9. Glider
Glider - aircraft heavier than air, which is maintained in flight by the dynamic reaction of air on its bearing surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some paragliders can be equipped with one to extend the flight if necessary.
10 Biplane
Biplane - an aircraft with two fixed wings, which are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional wing structures (monoplanes): they allow larger area wings and lift at a smaller wing span. The Wright brothers' biplane in 1903 became the first aircraft to successfully take off.
11. Helicopter
A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover and fly in any direction. There have been many concepts similar to today's helicopters over the past centuries, but it wasn't until 1936 that the first operational Focke-Wulf Fw 61 helicopter was built.
12. Aerocycle
In the 1950s, Lackner Helicopters came up with an unusual flying machine. The HZ-1 Aerocycle was intended to be operated by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle in the US Army. Although early testing indicated that the vehicle could provide sufficient mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult to control for untrained infantrymen. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.
13. Kaitun
Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a hot air balloon. Its main advantage is that the kaitoon can remain in a fairly stable position above the anchor point of the line, regardless of the strength of the wind, while conventional balloons and kites are less stable.
14. Hang glider
A hang glider is a non-motorized, heavier-than-air aircraft that lacks a tail. Modern hang gliders are made of aluminum alloy or composite materials, and the wing is made of synthetic canvas. These vehicles have a high lift ratio, which allows pilots to fly for several hours at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level in the rising currents of warm air and perform aerobatics.
15. Hybrid airship
A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines the characteristics of a lighter-than-air craft (i.e. airship technology) with heavier-than-air aircraft technologies (either a fixed wing or a rotary propeller). Such designs were not put into mass production, but several manned and unmanned prototypes appeared, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.
16. Airliner
Also known as a jet airliner, a jet airliner is a type of aircraft designed to carry passengers and cargo through the air that is propelled by jet engines. These engines enable the aircraft to achieve high speeds and generate enough thrust to propel large aircraft. The Airbus A380 is currently the world's largest jet passenger liner with a capacity of up to 853 people.
17. Rocket plane
A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine. Rocket planes can reach much higher speeds than jet aircraft similar sizes. As a rule, their engine runs for no more than a few minutes, after which the plane glides. The rocket glider is suitable for flying at very high altitude, and it is also capable of developing much greater acceleration and has a shorter takeoff run.
18. Float plane
It is a type of fixed wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. The buoyancy of the seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float planes were widely used until the Second World War, but then they were replaced by helicopters and aircraft used from aircraft carriers.
19. Flying boat
Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is a fixed-wing aircraft with a hull shaped to allow it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Like floatplanes, they subsequently fell into disuse after World War II.
Also known by other names (for example, cargo aircraft, freighter, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted to carry goods rather than passengers. AT this moment An-225 built in 1988 is the largest and most lifting in the world.
21. Bomber
Bomber - a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes or launching air-to-ground cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers are primarily designed for bombing missions. long range- i.e. to attack strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, etc. Tactical bombers are aimed at countering enemy military activities and supporting offensive operations.
22. Spaceplane
A spaceplane is an aerospace vehicle that is used in the Earth's atmosphere. They can use both rockets alone and auxiliary conventional jet engines. Today there are five such vehicles that have been successfully used: X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.
23. Spaceship
The spaceship is vehicle designed for flights in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transportation of people and goods.
A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule must have everything you need for daily life, including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from the cold and cosmic radiation.
25. Drone
Officially known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the drone is often used for missions that are too "dangerous" or simply impossible for humans. Initially, they were used mainly for military purposes, but today they can be found literally everywhere.
In 1873, the Frenchman Joseph Montgolfier drew attention to the fact that not only birds, insects and bats fly. The smoke from the chimneys also flies upwards. That would be to catch him, harness him and make him lift the load!
Together with his brother Etienne, Joseph Montgolfier built a hot air balloon. It was a light bag made of linen and paper. They hung a basket from it and filled the bag with hot smoke. Animals were placed in the basket for testing: a ram, a rooster and a duck.
They became the first aeronauts. They flew for eight minutes and remained alive and well. Only after that people began to rise on the ball.
Balloons are still flying. In memory of the inventors, they are called hot air balloons.
How is a balloon made? The balloon shell is made of nylon. An air-filled balloon can be the size of a house. At the bottom of the balloon, a basket is suspended on ropes, which accommodates the crew and passengers, as well as gas cylinders and instruments by which the crew determines the altitude and direction of flight, and monitors fuel consumption.
Airships
In 1873, just two weeks after the balloon built by the Montgolfier brothers, the first flight of a hydrogen-filled balloon, an airship, took place.
An airship is an airship of an elongated design, filled with light gas and controlled by an engine.
Modern airships do not produce noise, are safe and comfortable. Under the bottom of the airship is a closed gondola, which can accommodate up to 20 passengers. Motors are attached to the gondola, which drive the propellers, thanks to which the airship moves. The pilot uses a large rudder to control the flight.
Airships are not widely used for passenger traffic. However, the ability to hover motionless in the air makes them ideal for photography and television filming.
hang gliders
The appearance of the hang glider, people owe to the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci, who lived in the 16th century. It was he who made the drawing of this "flying machine" and called it "Feather".
Modern hang gliders are designed for one person, who hangs under the wings on a special frame. On some large hang gliders, there is room for one more passenger.
The hang glider rises into the air, running up against the wind on a hillside. For safety, he must wear a helmet and carry a parachute.
Hang gliding is not only popular leisure but also an exciting sport.
Kites
Kites were invented in China over 3000 years ago.
The first kites were made of silk and bamboo slats and flew on a single cord.
Modern kites are made of plastic on an aluminum frame and are attached to two cords. By pulling on one cord more than the other, you can control the kite, causing it to dive and turn around.
Kites are commonly flown for holidays, sports, entertainment, and sometimes for practical purposes. In parts of Asia, fishermen fish by attaching a hooked line to a kite.
Parachutes
The first parachute was made from fabric stretched over a bamboo frame in 1797. Its creator, André Garnerin, made the jump in Paris.
Parachuting is very popular. Parachutists perform jumps from a specially equipped aircraft. They perform various maneuvers in the air, both before and after opening the parachute.
Skydivers can change the speed of their fall by performing acrobatic tricks in the air and changing their body position. When a group of paratroopers connect in the air, forming various figures, this is called a group jump.
"Motor? Who needs a motor? - laughs the instructor sitting behind, the master of sports in gliding and the president of the Russian Gliding Federation Sergey Ryabchinsky. He is not worried at all that after uncoupling from the tug, the variometer needle, showing the vertical speed, deviates downward. However, the rate of decline is a little more than 1 m/s, so we still have a lot of time. We are looking for a thermal - an updraft that will allow the glider to gain height and stay in the air longer. But it seems that this time we were not lucky - a couple of times the variometer needle twitches, freezing near zero, but the currents are too weak to hold the glider. And fifteen minutes later, having made a spectacular pass over the site, Sergei comes in for a landing.
Riding the stream
According to the definition, a glider or glider (fr. planeur, from lat. planum - plane) is a non-motorized aircraft heavier than air, supported in flight by the aerodynamic lift created on the wing by the oncoming air flow. But the dry definition does not reflect all the advantages of the airframe. “Judging from the point of view of aerodynamics, these are the most advanced aircraft that have ever been created,” explains Sergey Ryabchinsky. “There is such an indicator as aerodynamic quality, this is the ratio of the distance that an aircraft can fly with the engine turned off from a certain height , to the loss of this altitude. For light aircraft, it is usually 10-15, and for gliders it only starts from 25-30, that is, from a height of 1 km, such a glider can fly 30 km horizontally. And this is only if you plan and do not use upstreams.
The pilot in the cockpit of the glider is located almost lying down. A parachute is mandatory and may well come in handy, say, in the event of a collision of gliders in the air - this happens in competitions. Instruments and controls are almost identical to aircraft, with the exception of engine control knobs - the airframe does not have them.
In fact, gliders fly much farther if the pilot manages to “ride” the updraft. For example, a thermal is a thermal flow in places where the earth's surface is heated by solar radiation. Typically, such streams form over arable land, roads and urban areas. Often, due to the condensation of water vapor in the ascending heat flow, when it enters the colder overlying layers of the atmosphere, thermals “give themselves out” as cumulus clouds. Once in such an updraft, which has a speed of several meters per second, the glider can descend along the helix relative to the stream, but at the same time rise relative to the ground. Thermals can climb up to 3000m and give you the altitude you need for long gliding until the next updraught. In mid-latitudes, the sun warms the air only from late spring to early autumn, so gliding here is a seasonal sport. However, thermals are not the only type of updrafts. When air masses interact with relief elements (hills, steep banks), streams arise that climb to a height of several hundred meters. And in the mountains you can find constant wave flows - one of the varieties of standing waves (Lee waves) in the atmosphere, which are formed when air flows around mountain ranges. Wave streams climb up to heights of 10-15 km and are therefore used by glider pilots to set world records for altitude and flight range.
The glider is quite simple in design, but has its own characteristics that distinguish it from other aircraft.
Get off the ground
But for the flight, the glider needs to gain the initial height. Classic non-powered gliders cannot do this on their own, and a towing winch or towing behind the aircraft is used for takeoff. The role of the towing vehicle, as a rule, is performed by the Polish light aircraft "Wilga-35A" (PZL-104 Wilga), equipped with a special lock for the towing cable. The glider also has a lock, and during regular towing, it is the glider, having gained altitude, that “lets go” of its end of the cable. But in case of occurrence emergency situation this can be done by the pilot of the towing vehicle. “There have been such cases in my practice,” Leonid Dombrovsky, deputy head of the Shevlino runway for flight training and flight director, told PM. - For example, one of the glider pilots pulled the control stick too sharply during takeoff and began to go up - there was a risk that the plane would “bite” when the cable was pulled. One of the duties of a pilot when towing a glider is to watch out for situations like this, and as soon as I noticed this, I immediately dropped the cable. Features of piloting when towing? It’s no more difficult than towing a car on the ground - you just need to take into account the presence of a glider, maintain the optimal speed (for example, for a training Czech glider L-13 BlanТk it is 115 km/h) and not make sudden maneuvers.”
Some modern gliders are equipped with their own engines - such devices are called motor gliders. Some models are able to take off and gain altitude on their own, after which the engine is turned off, the propeller is folded (to improve aerodynamics), and the device continues to fly like a regular classic glider. However, this requires a sufficiently powerful (and therefore heavy) engine. Therefore, most often motor gliders have a low-power main engine, insufficient for take-off, but capable of preventing forced landing to an unprepared site - if the pilot does not find updrafts or, say, the weather changes dramatically. Such a landing threatens at least with serious inconveniences - in the best case, you will have to call a towing aircraft (if the site allows you to take off) or even take out the glider disassembled (not to mention more difficult landing options). However, there is also back side medals - motor gliders have a large mass, and for soaring they require stronger updrafts.
The pilot of the glider does not interfere with the sound of the engine - only a slight whistle of the air flowing around the cabin accompanies the flight of the apparatus.
Fly ahead of the glider
Gliding competitions for soarers include a set of various exercises, among which are flights along a given route (including through designated areas). At the same time, the accuracy of following, the average speed, and the time it takes to complete the route are evaluated. “The duration of the routes is usually hundreds of kilometers, and all this without a single drop of fuel! Sergey Ryabchinsky says. - The skill of a glider pilot consists not only and not so much in controlling a glider - this is just the simplest part, it differs little from controlling a light aircraft. But unlike an airplane pilot, who has a motor, a glider pilot must be a strategist - relatively speaking, he must fly ahead of the glider, providing for various alternative routes. After all, flights last for several hours, during which time the weather can change. Therefore, before the start, glider pilots carefully study the weather forecast for the flight route provided by the aerodrome meteorologists. And serious and rich enough teams can even afford their own meteorologist.”
Sky romances
Sports gliders are classified by wingspan and maximum takeoff weight: 15-meter (525 kg), 18-meter (600 kg), 20-meter (750 kg). There is also a standard class - these are 15-meter gliders with a maximum allowable take-off weight of 525 kg, in the wing compartments of which it is allowed to fill in ballast water (up to 250 liters). This weighting increases the load on the wing and thereby increases the horizontal speed. And if the updrafts are not strong enough or the weather changes, the water can be drained, lightening the glider and reducing the rate of descent.
The gliders lined up on the field of the Shevlino runway, waiting for a tugboat to lift them to a height of several hundred meters, where they could start searching for updrafts.
But the real elite of gliding is the open class, in which only the takeoff weight is limited (no more than 850 kg), and no restrictions are imposed on the wingspan. Such a glider is a real piece of engineering art, its design uses the most modern ultra-light and heavy-duty materials. “Modern open-class gliders with a wingspan of more than 25 m can have a lift-to-drag ratio of 60 or more! And the cost is appropriate, they are much more expensive than light aircraft, - says Sergey Ryabchinsky. “It’s true that only a very experienced glider pilot can fly such an aircraft: the larger the wingspan, the less mistakes the aircraft forgives.”
Double training glider L-13 Blanik, created in the Czech Republic in the late 1950s, is the most massive glider in the world (more than 3,000 pieces were produced). Almost all glider pilots of the world started their careers from flying on this glider.
It was on gliders of this class that absolute world altitude records were once set (on August 29, 2006, Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson on a Glaser-Dirks DG-505 glider with a wing of 22 m and oxygen equipment installed in place of the engine reached a height of 15,460 m above Argentina) and flight range (January 21, 2003, Klaus Ohlmann on a Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 4 DM glider with a wingspan of 26.5 m flew 3009 km over the Argentine Andes). “Yes, more than three thousand kilometers,” Sergey confirms when I ask him again to make sure I heard right. - Yes, without a single drop of fuel, only with the use of wave updrafts in the mountains. Gliders - how sailing yachts, after all, it is not in vain that English language they are called sailplanes - sailing aircraft. Glider pilots are probably the last true romantics of the sky.”
P.S. It is worth noting that Fawcett and Enevolson's record fell quite recently, on September 5, 2017. Pilots Jim Payne and Morgan Senderkok on the Airbus Perlan 2 glider reached a height of 15902 meters, by the way, in the same place, over the Argentinean Patagonia. But the distance record since 2003 has not been broken.
Even in ancient times, people dreamed of taking to the air and learning to fly like birds. History has brought to us a lot of evidence of the attempts of various people to make wings and fly. So, in 1020, the English monk Aylmer of Malmesbury, inspired by the Greek myth of Icarus, made artificial wings and jumped off the tower of the local abbey. Having flown a short distance, upon landing, the monk broke his legs and wanted to repeat the flight by improving the design and adding a tail, but the abbot forbade him to do so. Most of the "inventors" ended up much worse - they were crushed to death. And yet - what is the history of aircraft and when did the first successful devices appear that allowed people to take to the air?
The history of flights begins in ancient China. Even in the 3-4 centuries BC. e. The Chinese invented the kite. Initially, this device was used to entertain the people at all kinds of holidays.
chinese dragon kite
However, kites soon found other uses. For example, fishermen began to use kites to catch fish by tying bait to them, kites were used to exchange signals over long distances, they even delivered messages and scattered leaflets with their help. Of course, the Chinese also had the idea that a large kite could lift a person into the air. Flying a kite was quite risky, but history has preserved evidence of successful flights. The first written mention of such a flight that has come down to us dates back to 559. This year, the cruel Emperor Qi Wenxuandi ordered large kites to be flown by his political opponents, who were condemned to death. One of them managed to fly several kilometers and land safely outside the city.
It is amazing that thousands of years passed before hang gliding, i.e., in fact, the same simple unpowered aircraft as the Chinese kite, became popular and spread. One of the enthusiasts of such flights was Otto Lilienthal, who made at the end of the 19th century. more than 2000 successful flights on gliders of our own design. He used the same materials as the Chinese - wooden rods and silk.
photo - flights of Lilienthal
Unfortunately, one of the flights ended in an accident - a gust of wind overturned the glider and Lilienthal fell, breaking his spine. “Sacrifices are inevitable,” he said about this. BUT modern history hang gliding began only in the 70s of the 20th century. The date of birth of the modern hang glider is 1971.
Before the advent of airplanes and helicopters, in a simple way to fly was the use of aircraft lighter than air - balloons and airships. Interestingly, the story here again leads us to China. Probably as early as the 3rd c. BC e. Air lanterns were invented in China. This lantern is a simple rice paper construction with a small burner inside.
Chinese air lanterns
The Chinese used air lanterns in ceremonies and as a means of signaling. Thousands of years passed before balloons people began to fly.
The inventors of the hot air balloon are the Montgolfier brothers from France. The brothers were guided by not entirely correct ideas - they came up with the idea to make an analogue of a cloud and place it in a bag so that it could lift this bag into the air. To this end, they filled their bowls with smoke from burning a mixture of straw and wet wool. However, their approach led to success. First, the brothers experimented with small balloons at home, and then arranged a large demonstration of a balloon for the residents of their city of Annone. This happened on June 4, 1783. Soon they learned about the balloon in Paris, and in the autumn of the same year the Montgolfier brothers launched their balloons already in Versailles. For the first time in a balloon, they decided to launch passengers - they were a sheep, a duck and a rooster. Finally, making sure that a balloon flight would not harm a person, on October 19, 1783, the first balloon flight was made by people.
first balloon flight
Balloons had a significant drawback - their flight depended on the direction of the wind, therefore, during the 19th century. attempts to create a controlled aircraft with an engine did not stop. We tried both options with installing an engine on a balloon, and with installing an engine on a glider. But despite the fact that the idea of controlled flight was expressed shortly after the flight of the first balloon, it took more than a hundred years before controlled flight became a reality. It wasn't until 1884 that Frenchmen Charles Renard and Arthur Krebs were able to build an airship capable of moving freely in any direction. Their airship had an elongated shape and was equipped with an electric motor that ran on batteries.
airship Renard and Krebs
Attempts to put an engine on a glider and thus invent an airplane did not lead to much success for a long time. Among such attempts was, for example, Mozhaisky's plane. Mozhaisky, rear admiral of the Russian fleet, began to invent the aircraft as early as the 50s of the 19th century. Starting with gliders that lifted harnessed horses into the air, Mozhaisky moved on to designing an aircraft with an engine. Unfortunately, the steam engines with which he tried to equip the aircraft were too heavy to keep it in the air, although there is evidence that Mozhaisky's aircraft was able to take off for a short time.
Mozhaisky plane (model)
Mozhaisky spent all his money on inventive activity, sold the estate and eventually died of an illness in poverty. The then Russian officials were not interested in the ideas of Mozhaisky and did not finance his work, as a result, the Americans, the Wright brothers, became the generally recognized inventors of the aircraft. They made their first confirmed flight in 1903, 13 years after Mozhaisky's death.
The first documented flight of an aircraft designed by the Wright brothers took place on December 17, 1903. At the same time, the aircraft was launched using a rail catapult, and the distance it flew was only 30 meters.
first flight of the Wright brothers
The Wright brothers invented not only the aircraft itself, but also a light gasoline engine for it, which became a real breakthrough in aircraft construction. Nevertheless, time has passed from the first flight to the active development of aviation. The following year, the Wright brothers, in the presence of journalists, could not repeat their success, the plane went to the hangar, and the inventors began to design a new, more advanced model. The US military was in no hurry to conclude a contract with the Wright brothers, doubting the ability of bicycle mechanics (this was the specialty of the inventors) to design something worthwhile. In Europe, reports about the flights of the Wright brothers were generally considered a lie. Only in 1908, after impressive demonstration flights by inventors both in the US and in Europe, opinion changed, and the Wright brothers became not only famous, but also rich.
In 1909, the Russian government finally realized the importance of inventions in the field of aviation. It refused to buy the Wright brothers' aircraft and decided to build its own aircraft. The first Russian airplane was built and flown in 1910 by Professor Alexander Kudashev.
In the middle of the last decade, the designers of the leading countries of the world were looking for new aircraft schemes that would allow them to obtain high performance in different flight modes. In particular, various options were proposed for improving takeoff and landing characteristics and a corresponding expansion of the range of tasks to be solved. One of the new ideas was proposed and relatively successfully implemented by the American company Vanguard as part of the Omniplane project.
A new version of a promising vertical / short takeoff aircraft was developed by Vanguard Air and Marine Corporation, founded by two aircraft engineers. The president and vice president of the small but ambitious corporation were Edward J. Vanderlip and John L. Schneider, respectively. In the early forties, E.J. Vanderlip participated in the development of control systems for missile weapons. He later moved to Piasecki Helicopter, where he made a significant contribution to the creation of the first helicopter autopilot. J.L. Schneider also managed to change several jobs and take part in the creation of a number of aviation equipment, both aircraft and helicopters.
Experienced Vanguard Omniplane 2C
In the late fifties, E.J. Vanderlip and J.L. Schneider worked for Piasecki Helicopter but soon left to start their own business. Despite the small number of employees and the lack of developed production facilities, the new company Vanguard Air and Marine Corporation coped with the design and construction of an experimental aircraft without any problems. The development of a new project started in February 1959 and took only a few months. A characteristic approach to shaping the appearance of technology simplified the construction of a prototype, which also did not take too much time.
By this time, several aircraft manufacturers in the United States and foreign countries a number of methods have been proposed to improve the basic flight characteristics. In particular, the so-called. rotorcraft - machines with separate rotors and screw or jet engines for translational motion. Probably, the founders of the Vanguard company studied similar developments of other organizations, and decided to create a new version of the aircraft based on them.
The authors of the project planned to create an aircraft with the capabilities of airplanes and helicopters. This is what explains the name of the project - Vanguard Omniplane. The name of the program was made up of the words "omni" - "omnidirectional" and "plane" - "aircraft". What exactly the designers meant by using the term "omni-" is not entirely clear. Probably, it was about the simultaneous creation of thrust directed in two directions. The first prototype of a promising aircraft received its own designation 2C. In the future, it made it possible to distinguish it from a revised version called 2D.
The basic idea of the Vanguard Omniplane project was to create lift through the alternate use of a wing and a pair of rotors. To optimize the layout of the aircraft, the screws required for lifting were proposed to be installed in the vertical annular channels of the wing. The pushing tail rotor, equipped with a set of aerodynamic rudders, was supposed to be responsible for the forward movement. Simultaneously with this project, it was envisaged to operate the aircraft exclusively “in an airplane way”, for which the wing had to be equipped with covers or closing flaps.
View from above
Subsequently, similar ideas were used in several new projects, which made it possible to talk about the emergence of a whole class of technology. In foreign materials, aircraft of this configuration are usually referred to as Lift fan ("Lift fan"). A full-fledged and generally accepted Russian-language term, due to certain circumstances, is absent. In publications in Russian, Omniplane and other equipment with similar capabilities are often referred to as a more extensive class of vehicles with a vertical / short takeoff.
In order to simplify and speed up the development and subsequent construction, Vanguard engineers decided to use the maximum number of existing components and assemblies. For example, the fuselage for the experimental machine was borrowed from one of the production aircraft. The situation was similar with some other units, although a significant part of the products had to be made independently and specifically for the new prototype.
Most of the main components and assemblies of the Omniplane 2C aircraft had to be placed in the aircraft-type fuselage. It was proposed to use a structure of relatively high elongation, assembled on the basis of a metal frame. bow the fuselage received a rounded fairing, behind which was a canopy visor. In this section, the height of the fuselage increased sharply, forming compartments for the crew and the power plant. The tail boom was made tapering and rising up. In the central and rear parts of the fuselage, nodes were provided for mounting the wing and plumage.
The Omniplein project proposed the simultaneous use of a modified version of the traditional wing and two rotors. The placement of the propeller in the annular channel inside the wing led to the formation of the characteristic design of the latter. The planes had to be large, with a thick profile like NACA 4421 and unusual edge shapes. The wing was proposed to be installed with a small transverse V and with a certain angle of attack.
The first prototype did not have a full set of flow controls.
The toe of the wing had the required curved profile, but it was made semicircular in plan. Near the root of the curved nose there was a small straight section of the center section, which provided a connection with the fuselage. The outer tip, smoothly mated with a curved toe, was located parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine. The trailing edge consisted of a long outer section, which had an opening for installing the aileron, as well as a beveled inner section connected to the fuselage. In connection with the installation of lifting screws, the wing was distinguished by a large relative thickness and corresponding proportions.
The project provided for the use of sliding covers or shutters that cover the annular channels during level flight. Initially, the first prototype did not have such equipment, but subsequently blinds were installed on it. The movable flaps were located on the lower surface of the wing and, depending on the flight mode, could be installed horizontally, closing the opening of the annular channel, or vertically. In the latter case, the airflow from the lifting screws could pass through the channel and keep the car in the air. The possibility of using top covers was also considered, however, such products did not leave the stage of testing on mock-ups.
In front of the wing with a shift to the fuselage in the wing there was a large annular opening necessary for mounting the lifting fan. It contained four radial beams of an asymmetrical arrangement, which served as a support for the screw gearbox. To reduce the negative impact on the flow, the beams received fairings of the appropriate profile. The upper face of these power elements was at the level of the wing surface. The fairing of the beam occupied about a third of the height of the annular channel, due to which the screw was placed in the middle part of the latter.
The Vanguard Omniplane 2C machine received an unusual tail, the design of which was due to the specific architecture of the propeller group. On the tapering tail of the fuselage, it was proposed to mount a swept fin and a ventral ridge of a similar design. The comb, however, was thicker. At the bottom of the keel was a swept stabilizer. The rear sections of the keel, crest and stabilizer had a rectangular cutout in which the annular fairing of the third propeller was placed. Behind such a fairing-channel were a large high rudder and two elevators. The latter, for obvious reasons, were made in the form of separate parts, and their inner faces had a beveled shape.
Fuselage engine compartment
In the central part of the fuselage, directly behind the cockpit and near the center of gravity, it was proposed to install a Lycoming O-540-A1A six-cylinder gasoline aircraft engine with an HP 265 power. The aircraft had to be equipped with a relatively complex transmission. The main gearbox was supposed to distribute torque to three shafts at once. Two of them were placed perpendicular to the axis of the machine and were connected to propeller gearboxes installed in the center of the annular wing channels. The third shaft went into the tail and was intended for the sustainer propeller.
As a means of vertical or short takeoff, the Omniplane project proposed the use of two lifting screws with a diameter of 6.5 feet (1.98 m). Each such propeller had three rectangular blades 3.75 inches (95 mm) wide, built on the basis of the NACA 0009 profile. The propellers were built on the basis of compact swashplates, with which the pilot could control their thrust.
Level flight was proposed to be performed using a tail propeller with a diameter of 5 feet (1.54 m). It was located inside the annular channel, behind which were the rudders and elevators. Apparently, in the takeoff and landing mode, the sustainer propeller, which does not provide sufficient thrust for acceleration, could be used as a means of creating thrust for pitch and yaw control.
Being an experimental model, the Omniplane 2C did not need a complex chassis. He received a tricycle landing gear with a nose strut. The front desk with a small diameter wheel was placed under the cockpit. At the level of the rear of the wing were the main supports with sprung wheels of a larger diameter. Cleaning mechanisms were not provided.
Tail and pusher propeller
In the forward part of the fuselage there was an open double cockpit. On the side of the pilots, the sides of the fuselage were covered, in front - a transparent visor of a large area. The side flaps and roof of the lantern were missing. The left workplace in the cockpit was intended for the pilot, who was in full control of all processes. The controls were connected to the engine, transmission, swashplates, rudders, etc. In addition, the pilot had a significant number of pointer instruments to monitor the operation of the systems. On the right seat could be a passenger or an engineer monitoring the progress of the tests.
According to reports, the controls made it possible to control the car in all flight modes. So, in level flight, the control stick was responsible for the ailerons and elevators, and the pedals controlled the rudder. During vertical takeoff, roll control was carried out due to a differentiated change in the angle of attack of the lifting propeller blades, which led to a certain difference in thrust. The yaw and pitch control was carried out using the tail rudders.
The experimental machine of the first type turned out to be quite compact. Its length did not exceed 25 feet - about 7.6 m. The take-off weight was 2600 pounds - just under 1200 kg. At the same time, Omniplane 2C was a full-fledged prototype technology demonstrator, capable of showing all the advantages and disadvantages of the original "lift fans" scheme.
It was assumed that a promising machine, depending on the tasks, will be able to take off with a takeoff run, with a shortened takeoff distance or vertically. In the latter case, the lifting screws were responsible for takeoff, after which the tail fan was turned on. Having gained a certain horizontal speed, the pilot had to close the openings of the wing channels and turn off the lifting screws. If hovering or vertical landing was necessary, the transition procedure was repeated in reverse order.
Experienced Omniplane 2C in a wind tunnel
At a certain stage, Vanguard Air and Marine Corporation managed to interest the army and scientific structures, which had a positive effect on further work. So, the construction and testing of the prototype was carried out with the direct assistance of NASA and the Wright Air Development Center of the Air Force. In the future, the aerospace department helped to conduct tests in wind tunnels, which greatly accelerated further work and the improvement of existing ideas.
A prototype of the Omniplane aircraft was built in the summer of 1959 and soon went to ground tests. The finished car was purged in a wind tunnel, after which it became possible to start ground tests. Apparently, in the early stages of testing, the prototype was planned to be studied only in takeoff and landing modes, which is why it did not immediately receive the blinds of the annular channels. However, even without this equipment, he could take off and land vertically.
Since August 1959, tethered flights have been carried out, during which the testers studied the behavior of the machine and the features of its control, and also looked for various shortcomings. It is known that such trials were generally successful. At the same time, certain shortcomings were identified. Thus, the pitch and yaw control in the takeoff mode was not very convenient, since the rudders of the traditional design in this case had insufficient efficiency. In addition, the existing 265-horsepower gasoline engine was not powerful enough and needed to be replaced.
According to the test results of the experimental apparatus Omniplane 2C, the designers of the Vanguard company began to develop a new project. The updated version of the "lift-fan" received its own designation 2D. It was proposed to build it on the basis of the existing design, but with the use of a number of new components and assemblies, including those that significantly change the technical appearance of the machine.
The scheme of the aircraft type "2D"
In the new project, it was proposed to replace the fuselage nose cone. Now it was necessary to use a new unit, extended by 5 feet (1.54 m). It should have placed a third annular channel with an additional lifting fan. To drive it, it was necessary to include a fourth shaft and another gearbox in the transmission. Like the other two screws, the nose had to have a swashplate for thrust control.
The problem of insufficient engine power was solved by completely reworking the power plant. Now, the Lycoming YT53-L-1 turboshaft engine with an HP 860 power was to be located in the central compartment of the fuselage. A more powerful engine was connected to a redesigned main gearbox, now distributing torque to four propellers. Air intake openings appeared behind the cockpit. The hot gases of the engine had to be expelled to the outside through a curved exhaust pipe with a nozzle on the bottom of the tail. It was also proposed to equip the fuselage with a closed canopy.
The wing has undergone some modifications in the Omniplane 2D project. So, the leading edge of the center section was moved forward, because of which the rounded area in the root of the wing disappeared. It was proposed to rework the mechanization of the trailing edge and install the top covers of the annular channels. Also, the new project provided for a certain improvement in management systems.
The development of a new project with the subsequent restructuring of the existing prototype lasted about two years. The Omniplane returned to the wind tunnel only in 1961. Tests showed the correctness of the proposed ideas. The modified car showed itself better in hovering and transient conditions. After checks in the test facilities, the prototype was allowed to fly on a leash.
Machine layout with three lift screws
Flights with safety lines confirmed earlier findings. More than powerful engine and a third lift fan made vertical takeoff and landing easier. In addition, the nose propeller improved pitch control, and also to some extent affected the controllability in the yaw channel. According to the results of tests on a leash, a decision could be made to start free flights, but it never appeared.
At the beginning of 1962, during another test flight with insurance, an incident occurred, as a result of which the Omniplane 2D prototype aircraft received some damage. After a small repair, the car could be returned to checks. However, the restoration of the prototype was considered inappropriate. By this time, specialists from Vanguard, NASA and the US Air Force had managed to collect enough information to draw conclusions and determine the prospects for the original scheme. Thus, the continuation of the tests, in general, did not make sense.
During tests in the wind tunnel and on the airfield, the only prototype, both in the original and in the modified version, showed its full potential. He confirmed the possibility of vertical takeoff and landing, as well as performing various maneuvers. In addition, the potential of the machine in terms of transients and level flight was determined. In general, the aircraft looked good and was of interest, at least from a scientific and technical point of view.
However, it has not been without criticism. So, lifting propellers were used only for takeoff and landing modes or while hovering. In horizontal flight, the propellers, their gearboxes and the corresponding part of the transmission turned out to be "dead weight". In addition, they required the use of covers or blinds of the annular channel, which led to the complication and weighting of the structure of the aircraft. Finally, large propellers with gears required the use of a thick wing profile, which imposed noticeable restrictions on flight performance.
Vanguard Model 30 multipurpose vehicle
The pilot project fully coped with the tasks assigned to it and showed the real possibilities of the original Lift fan layout. As often happens with original and bold proposals, the real prospects were mixed. With all its advantages, a machine with "lifting fans" turned out to be difficult to build and operate, but at the same time did not show any noticeable advantages over the equipment of existing classes. As a result, the Vanguard Omniplane project was closed after testing was completed.
The only built prototype, modified according to a new project in 1959-61, remained in storage for some time, after which it was sent for disposal. Unfortunately for lovers of the original historical technique, now a unique example can only be seen in photographs.
It should be noted that in parallel with the testing of the 2D experimental machine, the appearance of promising passenger aircraft of a similar design was being worked out. Thus, the 63-foot-long (19.2 m) Model 18 machine with a 50-foot wing (15.2 m) was planned to be equipped with two Allison T-56 turboshaft engines. With a takeoff weight of 13.6 tons, she could take on board up to 40 passengers and reach speeds of up to 275 miles per hour (440 km / h).
The Model 30 project was also proposed, which considered the possibility of equipping the wing with four lifting screws and a pair of nacelles with turboprop engines at once. Such a vehicle could carry 40 passengers or equivalent cargo at speeds of up to 550 miles per hour (885 km/h). For obvious reasons, all new projects were closed at the stage of preliminary study.
Despite the premature closure and the refusal of further work in the direction of the Lift fan, the Omniplein project can be considered a limited success. Research and testing of the prototype demonstrated a specific ratio of positive and negative qualities, which made it possible to assess the real prospects of the original proposal. However, the presence of disadvantages in the creation of the Vanguard Air and Marine Corporation did not bother the specialists of other organizations too much. Soon new prototypes were created with similar means for vertical and horizontal flight.
According to materials:
https://vertipedia.vtol.org/
http://xplanes.free.fr/
http://126840.activeboard.com/
Fan-Winged Plane Flies Straight Up and Down // Popular Science. 1959, No. 12.
