www.PSFmagazine.com | November-December 2019 | 19 18 | November-December 2019 | Powered Sport Flying Opener’s Blackfly was on display again this year. Its Part 103 epoxy-impregnated Carbon Fiber structure is powered by eight tractor-mounted propellers driven by individual electric motors and their custom controllers. The motors are mounted on the leading edges of the tandem fixed wings, and their angle of attack is variable with motor speed via an R/C controller stick. The current model is designed to carry one 250 pound pilot at speeds up to 62 mph for up to 20 minutes. My grandchildren, Olivia (age 11) and Brenin (age 13) had an experience in the Blackfly simulator. Their reactions were that it was “ fun, it went the way you pointed the stick, and the simulator seat moved the same way the plane did giving a real feeling of flying.” They said the flying learning curve is “ immediate, any kid could fly it.” I believe that to be a good endorsement. For more information, go to this link: opener.aero. Another version of this tandem-wing-style multi-motortype aircraft was on display this year. The Airbus version called Vahana is a research platform that has flown in excess of 100 mph, has 38 kWh batteries, with eight 45 kWmotors attached to the leading edges of the tilting wings. It carries one person and is self-piloted. Find more information at this link: evtol.news/aircraft/a3-by-airbus/. We all understand the wing warping process the Wright Brothers used to control banking with their 1903 Wright Flyer. Did we ever think it would become a “new” way to control light aircraft? This is an example of how an old method can be revived because of structural technology. Explore Flight explains “Modular units made of fiber composite materials, are arranged in lattice-based pattern that can Above: Opener's Blackfly continues to be a successful eVTOL. Left: Brenin stated that flying the Opener sim "was fun and it went where the stick was pointed." Right:Olivia enjoyed flying the Opener sim (although she crashed) and said "any kid could do it." Airbus' Vahana prototype has flown. flex and adapt.” The displayed wing was operated (warped) using an R/C controller and servos. Another personal air vehicle is the Zeva Zero (Zero-emissions electric vertical aircraft) designed exclusively to compete in the Boeing GoFly competition. It is a personal point-to-point electric powered vertical takeoff aircraft having a wing-body propelled by eight podmounted motors. The pilot flies the craft in a prone position similar to the way the Wrights did. It is predicted to have a 50 mile range at speeds up to 160 mph. More information is available at zevaaero.com. A different approach to stol is taken by David Ullman, Emeritus Professor at Oregon State University, and Ideal Estol llc. That approach being: work with the wing’s coefficient of lift for stol rather than attempting vertical takeoff. He trades vtol power consumption in favor of significantly reduced conventional take off distance and landing rollout. To do this he incorporates numerous ducted electric fans at the wing’s leading edges to blow “speeding air” over the wing. This converts horizontal propeller propulsion to lift. Explore Flight's composite modular units arranged in a lattice-based pattern permit the wing to flex Designed to compete in the Boeing GoFly competition, the Zeva Zero's pilot lies prone similar to that of Wilber and Orville's pilot position.
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