Home Built Aircraft - Page 3

**RyanShort** · #21 05-13-2010, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancer525

Ryan, I'm surprised at you. Have you ever seen one? Ever flown one? The Zodiac is a really neat little airplane. Very responsive, not difficult to fly, and extremely easy to build. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a Glasair snob...

No, I'm not a snob, but there seems to be a disturbing trend for them to break up in flight. That's why I probably wouldn't get in one if my best friend built it.

NTSB Recommends Grounding After Another Fatal Zodiac Crash -

If you do a very little bit of searching, you'll find that there are some serious concerns about that little plane.

Ryan

**lancer525** · #22 05-13-2010, 07:59 AM

I discovered quite by accident, back in 1997 that I have Menniere's Syndrome, and thus lost my ticket. So, I haven't been involved in Aviation since then. I really wasn't aware that there were any difficulties with the aircraft, in spite of the fact that I have about 15 hours in one. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, and making me look like an idiot. I guess I deserved it.

**RyanShort** · #23 05-13-2010, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancer525

I discovered quite by accident, back in 1997 that I have Menniere's Syndrome, and thus lost my ticket. So, I haven't been involved in Aviation since then. I really wasn't aware that there were any difficulties with the aircraft, in spite of the fact that I have about 15 hours in one. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, and making me look like an idiot. I guess I deserved it.

Wow, too bad about the flying. Don't worry about the Zodiac thing. I just keep up with stuff on the AOPA forums and other places since I'm a CFI and I just can't say that I'm real happy with what I've heard about the 6+ accidents where a wing collapsed or something similar.

Ryan

**Leif Ohlsson** · #24 05-13-2010, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrike

The Pou de Ciel is a homebuilt as well.

There is an excellent paper model, highly detailed and very true to scale, by Philippe Rennesson:
http://pierreg.free.fr/carton/extra/hm14phil/hm14.htm

See also the Fauvel AV36 by the same author, in this thread:
Fauvel AV36 glider 1:33 by Philippe Rennesson

And by the same author, the Dalotel Viking, another home-built.
Dalotel 1/33

See this thread by Redhorse:
Dalotel DM 165 Viking 1:33

**lancer525** · #25 05-13-2010, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanShort

Wow, too bad about the flying. Don't worry about the Zodiac thing. I just keep up with stuff on the AOPA forums and other places since I'm a CFI and I just can't say that I'm real happy with what I've heard about the 6+ accidents where a wing collapsed or something similar.

Ryan

I was the youngest member of the local Pilot's Association, and having flown with all of the other members (overly enthusiastic about washing airplanes to get rides!) the guy who was the president of the club at the time, sort of took me under his wing, pardon the pun, and flew with me a lot.
I joined the EAA after hanging out with him, and got to meet some great guys, and fly some fantastic homebuilts. I even helped build a few. My favorite was the Pulsar. Hot little beast. Dennis introduced me to several of his friends, many of whom owned some really cool planes. I've flown a bunch of hops on dozens of different types, including a Ford Trimotor (handles like a huge Cub), an L-5, a B-17G, an F4U, a really nice AT-6, and a beautifully restored C-47, I even got to right-seat a Falcon 90 bizjet once.
The crowning entry in my logbook is the P-51. The guy was an old college buddy of my friend Dennis, and he owned this awesome Mustang. Dennis had talked me up as a really good young pilot, and the guy offered to take me up. We flew a little aerobatics in the thing (I think he was trying to make me puke!) and then he offered me the chance to fly in the airshow the next day. That was the best 25 minutes I have ever spent in a cockpit. There is no feeling as good as screaming down on the crowd and flying at 400 KIA 50 feet off the ground! The day after the airshow, I had my medical exam. Apparently, all those Gs I had pulled the previous 2 days had caught up with me. I got dizzy and passed out in the exam room. Test after test discovered Menniere's, and I lost my ticket that day. I've got some great entries in my logbook, but I haven't even so much as touched an airplane since 1997.

I'd bet that all those problems/issues with the Zodiac were all attributable to builder error, like faulty assembly or substandard materials, rather than anything major with the design. I could be wrong, but I have some good memories flying a 601...

**Phil** · #26 05-13-2010, 09:42 AM

After following many links, all I can say is...WOW!
Thanx to the contributors!
There are also several fantasy home-builts from the 1960's claymation "Mad Monster Party" ...anyone remember those?...I'll see if I can get some screenshots.

**Phil** · #27 05-13-2010, 10:45 AM

Here is a screenshot, lets see if it sparks any memories...

**lancer525** · #28 05-13-2010, 11:08 AM

I don't remember that, but it looks like it could almost be something called "Afford-a-plane"...

Interesting...

**airdave** · #29 05-13-2010, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gil

Barnaby Wainfan's FMX-4 Facetmobile is a natural for paper...

is it just me?...
anyone else notice the resemblance to the modern day Stealth fighter? [F117 Nighthawk]
and isn't the "model number"(?) in the lower right eerily odd?

**lancer525** · #30 05-13-2010, 11:52 AM

That isn't the "model number" it's the registration number.

It isn't you. It was according to Wainfan himself, just coincidental. Sure it was...

facetmobile.com

Q10: Were you inspired by Lockheed's F-117 stealth fighter?
A11: Actually, we prefer to think that they copied us. It turns out that we had already started construction of the Facetmobile when the stealth fighter configuration was announced to the public. Their facets, of course, were present to deflect radar. Our facets were for a different reason. Straight sticks are easier to build than curved sticks. As far as its stealthiness, the Facetmobile is picked up clearly on radar, due to the engine installation. However, our photographs of the wind tunnel model all turned out blurry, as the infrared auto-focus device in the camera was either deflected, or it focused on the back of the wind tunnel. As far as us copying Lockheed, Peter Lert says we did, "of course we copied Lockheed. The Facetmobile is actually a nose wheel chock for a C-5"
Facetmobile FAQ

THE INCREDIBLE FACETMOBILE