A test .....

[Dave_Jackson]

... for the fun of it

Who designed a helicopter with a solidity ratio (www.unicopter.com/B263.html#Solidity_Ratio) greater than 1?
A hint (http://www.solarnavigator.net/inventors/inventor_images/leonardos_helicopter.jpg)

What type of blade is controlled by a Swishplate?
A hint (http://www.hollywoodcultmovies.com/assets/images/GeorgeHamilton1.jpg)

Which helicopter builder had a tail-rotor obsession?
A hint (http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/foto/gallery/sikorsky/sik_vs-300_1.gif)

What rotorcraft had a GW of 500 lbs and was powered by a 10,000 hp engine?
A hint (http://www.flying-bike.demon.co.uk/helistuff/uboat.gif)

Which company tried to launch a helicopter from a torpedo tube?
A hint (http://twistairclub.narod.ru/ka56/images/01m.jpg)
Prize goes to the first person to get 6 correct. :uhoh:

[The Nr Fairy]

I'm game.

1. Leonardo da Vinci.

2. George Hamilton's blade as Zorro.

3. Igor Sikorsky ?

4. Focke-Achgelis Fa 330A-1.

5. Kamov, with the Ka56 ? My Russian spelling is poor.

[Dave_Jackson]

It is extremely important that helicopter pilots be aware of the instrument readings at all times.

However, when concentrating on familiar objects for extended periods, an observer's perception may change, from what he is actually seeing, to what he believes he should be seeing.

This tests your ability to concentrate. It involves looking at a still picture for a short period of time. Does the picture stay the same, or does it change to what you think you should see?

Test picture (http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/graphics/bushmorph.mpeg)

[Whirlygig]

No, I couldn't see any change but I am studying Human Performance and Limitations at the moment so I am aware of this effect.

Cheers

Whirls

PS - shouldn't the answer to number 2 be, more correctly, A Dashing Blade?

[Dave_Jackson]

2. The 'swishplate' is used to control 'gay blades'.


3. Sikorsky's VS-330 (http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/sik_vs-300-r.html). It was used; ~ in May 1940 for his first untethered flight, and
~ in May 1941 to beat the world endurance record, held by the Fw 61 (http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/fw-61-r.html), by staying aloft for 1 hr. 32 min. 26.1 sec. (*)
. . . (*) On 24 & 25 June 1937 Focke-Wulf Fw 61 set FAI world records of; 2439m altitude; 1 hr. 20 min. 49 sec. endurance; 80.604km distance in a straight line; 122.553km distance over a closed circuit; 16.40km/h speed over a closed circuit.

Then in June 1941 Igor got a little too eager and removed the wrong rotors from the tail. :D

Dave

[Whirlygig]

I'm sorry Dave but I must disagree with you on the answer to No. 2 - it is the Dashing Blade that is controlled by a Swishplate. Please refer to "Blade Control" by Messrs. E. Flynn and S. Granger.

Cheers

Whirls

[Dave_Jackson]

Mia Maximus Culpa :uhoh:

Whirlygig,

A couple of years ago Lu Zuckerman wrote in PPRuNe; "Swishplate will have a totally different meaning in San Francisco."

It is all now very clear. Messrs. Errol Flynn and Stuart Granger published their voluminous half-page dissertation on 'Blade Control' in San Francisco. I just assumed .....


Dave