www.PSFmagazine.com | October-November 2018 | 19 18 | October-November 2018 | Powered Sport Flying AirVenture 2018 Three Chipper too models are available; Chipper Tricycle, Chipper Taildragger, and Chipper stol Taildragger. Numerous options are available as well as a customized package. Less engine, each will sell for slightly under $12,500. For more information go to www.BeliteAircraft.com and www.chipper.aero. Verner Motor is the U.S. distributor for the Czech Republic radial engine series. The smallest engine, VM 133MK, is designed for use in ultralight and E-AB aircraft. It is a 4-stroke, horizontally opposed 2-cylinder, air cooled engine producing a peak 84 HP. More information is available at vernerradialengines.com. Checkout their website: ScaleBirds.com for engine information and data on the P-36 project. Peter Sripol, from Dayton, OH, displayed his biplane creation to serve as a test bed for more ideas. His plane, called the Sky Pupper, combines foam and wood covered with one layer of fiberglass. The twin pusher electric motors are mounted adjacent to the cockpit while the Lithium Polymer batteries are located under the pilot’s seat. The motors can be throttled independently for differential steering when needed. The 200 pound plane took about 2-1/2 months to build using wire-cut foam and laser-cut plywood engine pods. The Sky Pupper will fly for 15 minutes with a cruise speed of 35 mph. The green foam was purchased from Lowe’s “Aviation Department” while the yellowish/white foam is #1 density E.P.S. Check out Peter Sripol on YouTube and monitor how his development progresses. Activity at the Fun Fly Zone was continuous. In the very early morning a dozen or so powered paragliders and powered parachutes were airborne, creating noise normally Top: The foam built and electric powered Sky Pupper twin-engine biplane Below: The Sky Pupper motor mount. associated with a beehive. Then the ultralights, followed by helicopters, did their demonstration flights. As the wind picked up, the lsa and small Experimental planes flew until the daily air show at 2:30. The evening hours once again found the very light aircraft getting airborne. One evening the Valdez pilots flew in their stol takeoff and landing contest. It was incredible to watch these planes take off in 50 or 60 feet and land in similar distances. Of course, some of the planes were powered by up to 400 HP engines. Still, it was exciting to watch and cheer as the measured distances were called out. The promising prototype quadcopter, Chang, which I reported on last year, did not show this year. However, a flying prototype produced by Opener and located in the Innovation tent was on display. Made primarily of carbon fiber and powered with eight motors, it can carry two persons. Let’s keep our eyes on this multi-bladed aircraft called the “Black Fly.” This fixed-wing electric powered aircraft is both amphibious and vtol. Because its fixed wings are angled to the fuselage, once taking off vertically, it rotates (rocks) for forward flight. This permits much greater forward speed than the normal quadcopter. Much research and flight testing has gone into the “Black Fly” aircraft. ceo Marcus Leng states they have accumulated over 12,000 flight hours. Another vtol craft called SureFly was on display. It is amazing how the electric powered craft are progressing and we likely will see their spin-off technology gravitate into the lsa and
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