Aircraft without an engine. The first aircraft

Europe

Modern technologies have firmly entered our lives. It has become available to almost everyone to fulfill their dream - to take to the skies on an aircraft with a motor. There are a lot of ways to fulfill a dream, to learn to fly. They are able to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes.

You can learn to fly on an aircraft without a motor, or you can with a motor.

The conversation will be about aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 600 kg, which lift the pilot into the sky with the help of a motor. You can get off the ground with the help of engine thrust and wing lift, for this there is an airplane, a paramotor and a motor glider. In addition to them, a helicopter and a gyroplane can be available for training.

You can sit at the helm of such an aircraft at the age of 18. Before the first solo flight, you should fly with an instructor for some time and make about a hundred takeoffs and landings to practice your skills. In the event of an engine failure, the chances of saving the pilot are equal to the number of his professional skills.

What can happen in flight

Engine failure
Such an incident will take you by surprise if the pilot is not ready for it. You shouldn't worry too much about this. Modern light aviation aircraft can glide without an engine. Some even manage gasoline.
Errors in control during takeoff or during landing
The reason, as a rule, is the low level of pilot training. The most common mistake all beginners make when boarding an airplane is the goat. So they say "skipped". It is generally accepted that stable piloting skills for novice pilots come at 150 flight hours.
Thunderstorm, strong wind
Weather change does not happen instantly. There is a meteorological service to minimize the negative impact of the weather. And modern warning and warning systems can warn you in time of an impending storm front. Visually, you can approximately predict the development of events 15-20 minutes ahead. The presence of a motor on the aircraft allows you to get away from the weather or turn back.
Flying in regimes that are unacceptable for this aircraft, including performing illegal maneuvers aerobatics
Such actions can indeed lead to sad consequences. If you are not ready to comply with the requirements of technical documents, then it is too early for you to sit at the helm yourself. For example, many aircraft small aviation not intended for aerobatics. There are many examples on the Internet of what a violation of flight requirements leads to.
An unplanned encounter with the earth or with what is on it
This happens when the instructions are violated, which prohibits flying over an obstacle below 50 meters. Most often they crash into wires due to their low visibility. Unfortunately, death is not ruled out.
An unscheduled meeting with another with another aircraft in flight
Most flights take place in a class G zone, free from air traffic control and under the visual flight rule. This means that the pilot is left to himself and is 100% responsible for his life and the lives of the passengers entrusted to him. To prevent a collision with another aircraft, you need to "look both ways". A similar incident is more likely in places where a lot of aircraft.
You can get lost
This is a very common problem for novice pilots. From the air, the surface of the earth does not look like it is shown on the map. A beginner can get lost even with a map in hand. Nowadays, GPS saves from this problem, but if it fails, there can be many problems. It is better to fly with two GPS receivers with independent power supplies.
bird strike
This also happens. The danger from this accident is similar to a collision with a car.
Bad health of the pilot
If suddenly before the flight there are health problems, it is better not to fly. In general, it is for this purpose that a small medical examination is carried out in a decent air club before each flight. A sudden deterioration in well-being in flight is a rather rare situation.

Important notes about powered aircraft

A smaller aircraft is more exposed to air currents, but it has more freedom of movement.
The very presence of the engine on board requires increased attention to the readings of the instruments about its operation, as well as compliance with the maintenance schedule. Ignoring a strange sound is extremely risky. Overheating the engine is very dangerous.
Having an engine is relaxing. The pilot gets the illusion that he can step on the gas at any moment and fly away from danger. As a rule, it is, but if the engine suddenly fails at this moment, you can accidentally break firewood.
The takeoff of an aircraft has a number of features:
- the location of the engine in the nose, the so-called pulling screw, creates a gyroscopic moment that tries to turn the aircraft in the direction of rotation of the screw, it is compensated by the rudder;
- the location of the engine at the rear, that is, the pusher propeller, turns the aircraft in the opposite direction.
Several fuel tanks are usually installed on board. They are switched by a simple mechanical valve. Incorrectly switching the valve, even if there is fuel in the tanks, you can get an engine failure when working in the air.
Two types of aircraft are offered for sale: ready product and as a kit. The second option is cheaper, you can assemble it yourself.
Light aviation in Europe is developed by an order of magnitude higher than in the CIS. For example, England has 112 flight schools, Ukraine - three.
Most motorized aircraft use 95 gasoline.
For motorized aircraft, the rescue system of the entire apparatus (large parachute) is often used, rather than individual rescue equipment.
It is not necessary to master motor aircraft on your own. There are many pitfalls that a beginner may not be aware of. Better find flight school where you will be taught the basics of piloting. Typically, training consists of theory and practical training in the amount of 40-45 hours.

Who doesn't want to fly:

people with increased emotionality: in the air you can’t cope with emotions - be in trouble;
people who are overly self-confident: you need to be able to put up with the opinion of more experienced pilots who evaluate the level of training;
lovers to break the laws of aerodynamics;
extreme lovers: it is always possible to find extreme sports, but it is dangerous to be in the air with such a pilot;
lazy and unwilling to learn: you can take off and land only with mechanical skills, but the lack of theoretical knowledge attracts unwanted problems.

Note. Strange as it may sound, but many people suffering from aerophobia got rid of their illness by attending an aviation club.

Airplane

An airplane is a classic example of a powered aircraft. Modern ultralight aircraft (with a takeoff weight of up to 495 kg) can help you look beyond the horizon, look down on the ground, take off and land on a grass airfield. Stepping into the sky in a small plane feels different than flying in a large airliner.

The mass of an empty aircraft is 80-300 kg.
Speed - 50-230 km / h.
The price of a new device is from 950,000 rubles.
You can take off from water, snow, even from small cobblestones with special equipment.
It takes about 150 m to take off. There are masters to land without a run
For landing, usually about 250 m.
The rescue system is a parachute rescue system for the entire aircraft.
The average consumption of A-95 gasoline is 9 liters / 100 km. (Average figure)
Crew - 1 pilot and 1 passenger.

Over long distances, flying by plane is cheaper than by car, because the flight takes place along the shortest line.
In aviation, fuel consumption is considered "in hours of operation" at different engine operating modes.

Advantages

Freedom of movement. This is a real plane - it flies where it needs to go, with a slight amendment. In Russia, there is a notification system for flights: free flights are allowed in the class G zone, as well as at altitudes up to 3000 meters and speeds up to 450 km/h. Bad weather doesn't matter to the plane. You can also fly above the clouds.
In serial aircraft, the design is as simple and well-developed as possible. There are enthusiasts who assemble the aircraft on their own.
Depending on the type of engine, you can climb up to 6000 m, but above 4000 m the pilot needs oxygen equipment.
With proper training, you can make intercontinental travel.
It is possible to assemble the aircraft on your own by purchasing a KIT-set.
Aerobatics can be performed on some types of aircraft.

disadvantages

The plane is complete vehicle and it requires proper paperwork and a pilot's license. They need to be renewed regularly.
When flying on an airplane, you will have to constantly monitor many different parameters: one of the main ones is speed. There's a saying in aviation that "it's better to lose your wife than speed." Loss of speed on many aircraft can lead to a stall and subsequent spin.
Technically, you can fly up to 6000 m, practically (in Russia) freely in the class G zone: up to an altitude of 3000 m and at a speed not exceeding 450 km / h, although few people fly at such speeds in small aircraft. The above is subject to approval.
During the flight along the route, you should have a working radio connection, conduct radio exchange with the controllers. This requires some skill.
medical requirements.
If you want to control something that flies with a mass of more than 120 kg (take-off weight): an airplane, a gyroplane, a helicopter, then you will need to go through a medical examination. Requirements for amateur pilots are not as strict as for professionals.

Paramotor (motor paraglider)

If you want to feel like Carlson, fly with a paramotor. A small device with a motor and a paraglider canopy gives you the opportunity to have a great time.

Engine weight - 7-20 kg.
Flight speed - 20-60 km / h.
As transport is practically not used.
There is an option to fly alone, there is an option in tandem.
In case of an emergency - a parachute.
The cost of a new device is from $6,000.

Advantages

For paragliders, paramotoring is easy to master.
Low fuel consumption.
A more tangible sense of flight due to the absence of a cockpit.
Low speed during takeoff and landing.
Ease of transport due to small dimensions

disadvantages

Immediately into battle. Theory on the ground, and in the air one on one with the elements and apparatus.
There is no training methodology for such pilots. Training is carried out by active pilots on individual developments.
In case of engine failure in the air - landing only in front of you.
Takeoff/landing is done from the feet. There is a risk of injury.
Takeoff requires wind.
Ability to fold the wing in the air.
Sufficient physical strength is required.
It's more entertainment than transport.

motor glider

A motor glider became a continuation of the development of the theme of free flight on a glider. Its main advantage is that it does not depend on the towing aircraft and the towing complex, but takes off and gains the desired height on its own.

Weight - 7-20 kg.
Flight speed with a motor - 160-190 km / h.
Aerodynamic quality - from 14 to 60
The cost of a new device is from 30,000 euros, there are options worth 140,000 euros.
The cost of a used device is from 20,000 euros

Advantages

A motor glider, above all a glider, plans far and long.
The presence of a motor allows this glider to land not where the loss of height occurred, but where the airfield is. Very expensive gliders like the Nimbus-4D can be damaged when landing on an unfamiliar site.
For expensive models, the engine can be removed when switching to hover mode.
Airframe engines can be internal combustion, electric and jet.

disadvantages

There are either single or double gliders.
As in the case of an airplane, it is necessary to monitor the speed during landing, the loss of speed is fraught with stall and spin. This is dangerous if there is little headroom.
For storage, you need a hangar and an airfield, for transportation, troublesome disassembly and a trailer.
Small motor resource of the engine.

Autogyro

The mass of the device is 450 - 550 kg.
Flight speed 130 -180 km/h
Cost from 900,000 rubles

Advantages

The ability to make a relaxed flight at a height of 3-5 meters at a speed of 90-100 km/h
Flight safety is higher than on other winged aircraft. You can not worry about the loss of horizontal speed and stall. The autogyro stays in the air more stable than other aircraft.
You can fly up to a wind speed of 15-17 m / s, while for light aircraft and trike 6-8 m/s can be a serious problem.
Landing without a run. There is no need for specially prepared landing sites. You can take off with a short two-meter run, but it is important to spin the rotor up to operating speed.

disadvantages

It is not recommended to independently master the apparatus of high-quality production; most often, the rotor of the gyroplane suffers from the inept actions of beginners. There is a collapse of the apparatus on its side, a fall on the tail. In this case, mostly pilots suffer only financially.
Possibility of rotor icing. In the event that this happens, the rotor, the main rotor of the gyroplane, will not be able to perform self-rotation, which can lead to a fall. To avoid this, it is recommended to constantly monitor the rotor speed in winter and, at the slightest suspicion of a decrease in speed, go for a landing

findings

If someone thinks that the dream of flying is the prerogative of rich people, then he is mistaken. There are options even for citizens whose income does not allow them to take to the skies on a commercial basis.
Whatever your financial situation, if you really want to fly, come to the airfield. There you can take an introductory flight, for a fee, of course. And now in the air you can really understand if you need it. You can try to fly on a glider, because the sensations from flying will be completely different.

By the way, if money is really tight, you can ask to work at the airport for the opportunity to learn how to fly. This, as a rule, will be unskilled work, but you have a great desire to fly, for the implementation of which you need to find opportunities.
If you are a designer, artist, electronics engineer, developer, and so on, then it is quite possible that your skills will be useful at the airport, in the aviation training center and in other “terrestrial” structures. By volunteering with them, you can also get the opportunity to fly.

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 people began to fly in balloons.

Inventors hot air balloon the Montgolfier brothers from France are considered. 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 American 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, experts from Vanguard, NASA and the US Air Force 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 scheme was developed. 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.

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, in which the crew and passengers are accommodated, 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.