Author Topic: Interesting or unusual planes?  (Read 385796 times)

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1825 on: 01 October, 2020, 06:36:34 pm »
Jet suit trial for Great North Air Ambulance paramedics:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-54341378
Selfridges are selling these for ~£6k.
12,000ft ceiling height  :o

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1826 on: 01 October, 2020, 06:46:22 pm »
*Possible* DH Tiger Moth heading NE / NNE over Lechlade around about 1600.

Biplane, swept back wings, v. slow, "old" sounding motor & narrow fuselage.  A bit too high (esp. with my old eyes) for positive ID.  On its own and not fast nor stubby enough to be one of the Utterly Butterly Boeing Stearman 75s which we get from time to time.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1827 on: 01 October, 2020, 07:06:47 pm »
Jet suit trial for Great North Air Ambulance paramedics:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-54341378
Selfridges are selling these for ~£6k.
12,000ft ceiling height  :o
But out of stock when I last looked. (And you have to give them your forearm measurements.)
Rust never sleeps

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1828 on: 02 October, 2020, 09:08:18 pm »
I think these are simply the turbines used in model aeroplanes, adapted to fit around your wrist.  The controllers and fuel will be in the backpack.

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1829 on: 03 October, 2020, 10:56:45 pm »
I'm pretty sure that they're Jetcat RC turbines, which are not only expensive, but only single stage turbines and have less than 50 hours life before requiring overhaul.

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1830 on: 06 October, 2020, 08:28:55 am »
I'm pretty sure that they're Jetcat RC turbines, which are not only expensive, but only single stage turbines and have less than 50 hours life before requiring overhaul.
+1. Very good at powering 20ft wingspan models, but not so sure about SAR!

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1831 on: 08 October, 2020, 08:36:56 am »
I believe that the scale of the turbines simply makes it impractical to adequatey supply oil/cooling to the bearings.
I was looking into it a few years back when I was designing my larger heli-UAV and both the limited the life and very fuel consumption ruled them out.
I ended up going with a 2-stroke gas engine, which needs inspection at 500 hours and will probably run for 2000 hours before anything than the spark plugs needs replacing. (And costs 1/10 in both buying and running cost).

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1832 on: 09 October, 2020, 08:59:54 am »
Interesting.  IME, in hobby use the r/c turbines probably don't fly for more than 25 to 50 hours a year, tops.  Each flight would probably be no more than 10 minutes, maybe 5 flights at a weekend on a good day.  You'd have to be very committed and a display pilot to get to 50 hours a year.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1833 on: 24 October, 2020, 08:09:02 pm »
Low wing, single engine, small, V tail so *probably* Beechcraft Bonanza over Cirencester about 1315 yesterday. 

No camera so no pics. Sorry.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1834 on: 26 October, 2020, 07:55:25 am »
I'm pretty sure that they're Jetcat RC turbines, which are not only expensive, but only single stage turbines and have less than 50 hours life before requiring overhaul.
+1. Very good at powering 20ft wingspan models, but not so sure about SAR!

yebbut the flight duration is only 8min. So that is a few hundred flights before needing overhaul.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1835 on: 27 October, 2020, 02:36:28 am »
Getting closer to flight test time and got this one thrown at me today. Approach was tricky to set up due to the contours of the terrain, but worked out well!.

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1836 on: 28 October, 2020, 03:07:25 am »
Argh, forgot the link yesterday:
https://youtu.be/eMltHliDSM4

Here's todays...weather was somewhat different :)
https://youtu.be/34vtb0-kOXs

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1837 on: 31 October, 2020, 07:20:05 am »
And I passed my CPL flight test today and are now officially a commercial helicopter pilot. (Now I just to find someone who will actually pay me to fly!).
First, though, I'm going to get my Bell 206 type endorsement, so a couple of weeks more training.

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1838 on: 31 October, 2020, 07:24:35 am »
Result! :thumbsup:

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1839 on: 31 October, 2020, 08:04:19 am »
Congratulations!  Not jealous at all.  Oh no.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1840 on: 31 October, 2020, 09:05:14 am »
Well done!

Googling 'Bell 206' led me to discover that there is such a thing as helicopter cherry drying!

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1841 on: 31 October, 2020, 09:13:32 am »
$2m spent on helicopter cherry drying at that farm, so far (until the film was made).  :o
It is simpler than it looks.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1842 on: 31 October, 2020, 09:49:16 am »
Congratulations Jakob

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1843 on: 31 October, 2020, 09:56:17 am »

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1844 on: 31 October, 2020, 10:00:09 am »
Argh, forgot the link yesterday:
https://youtu.be/eMltHliDSM4
Totally OT, but what's the music you've used for that/
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1845 on: 31 October, 2020, 10:13:11 am »
And I passed my CPL flight test today and are now officially a commercial helicopter pilot. (Now I just to find someone who will actually pay me to fly!).
First, though, I'm going to get my Bell 206 type endorsement, so a couple of weeks more training.
Congratulations!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1846 on: 31 October, 2020, 12:40:15 pm »
Well done, great achievement.

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1847 on: 31 October, 2020, 12:56:19 pm »
And I passed my CPL flight test today and are now officially a commercial helicopter pilot. (Now I just to find someone who will actually pay me to fly!).
First, though, I'm going to get my Bell 206 type endorsement, so a couple of weeks more training.

Well done. Good luck in finding employment. Most helicopter operations haven't been too badly affected by the collapse in civil aviation, so hopefully it will work out for you!

Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1848 on: 31 October, 2020, 04:53:46 pm »
Thanks all!. Probably the most stressful test ever..(Fairly calm during the test, but the days leading up to it......not so much)

And I passed my CPL flight test today and are now officially a commercial helicopter pilot. (Now I just to find someone who will actually pay me to fly!).
First, though, I'm going to get my Bell 206 type endorsement, so a couple of weeks more training.

Well done. Good luck in finding employment. Most helicopter operations haven't been too badly affected by the collapse in civil aviation, so hopefully it will work out for you!

It's 'ok'. Tourism (heli tours, heli-skiing especially) has taking a big hit and unlike California/Oregon, the fire season here was quite mild, so a lot of places are on reduced pay/hours. I do have a couple of leads already,  so we'll see.
The industry is kinda weird. There *is* a huge shortage on experienced pilots, but at the same time the industry is reluctant to review it's process of making junior pilots more experienced and in all likelyhood, I'll be working a year on the ground before getting any kind of regular flying hours.

Well done!

Googling 'Bell 206' led me to discover that there is such a thing as helicopter cherry drying!

It surprised me at first as well, but it's critical fo rthe cherry growers to have the rain blown off quickly. The raindrops will amplify the sun like a magnifying glass and cause the skin to split. Doesn't affect the taste at all, but it downgrades the appearance of the cherries, meaning less income.
It's only for a couple of weeks as they're getting close to harvest, apparently...

Argh, forgot the link yesterday:
https://youtu.be/eMltHliDSM4
Totally OT, but what's the music you've used for that/

It's from here:
https://youtu.be/vWLJeqLPfSU

Their live-sessions are far better than their albums

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Interesting or unusual planes?
« Reply #1849 on: 31 October, 2020, 07:47:22 pm »
But their albums are pretty spectacular!