Does anyone know what this is?
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Pewsey, UK
There's a chap in the UK putting a co-axial helicopter together, from scratch, of his own design ... https://www.youtube.com/@Ben-Dixey/videos
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From: UK
I would not go near that in a million years !, and definitely would not fly it !!
e.g. tail rotor driven by a long rubber belt.........
You'll kill yourself.
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From: UK
Joking apart; things such as the plastic fuel pipe and plastic fuel filters with joints held together with ty-wraps, (aka zip ties); pieces of aluminium angle, but what type of aluminium - what alloy, i.e what strength and resilience does it have in an aircraft environment - or is it just from B&Q, (no disrespect to B&Q). Ditto, what is the specification of all the bolts ?
You simply don't know, so honestly, I would run a mile from that and NEVER fly yourself in it. You could possibly use it for parts to make a large radio controlled model of some sort, but only pay a few hundred for it at most.
I remember reading an accident report where a similar craft had used plastic fuel pipe which had become compromised by shrinking in the lower temperatures aloft, causing fuel starvation and a serious problem.
Just don't go there.
You simply don't know, so honestly, I would run a mile from that and NEVER fly yourself in it. You could possibly use it for parts to make a large radio controlled model of some sort, but only pay a few hundred for it at most.
I remember reading an accident report where a similar craft had used plastic fuel pipe which had become compromised by shrinking in the lower temperatures aloft, causing fuel starvation and a serious problem.
Just don't go there.
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From: Yakima
Personally, I'd put the thermometers on the bottom engine as, like multi-row radials, getting cooling air to the back of the engine (bottom in this case) can be difficult, especially as all the cylinder heads are aligned. It looks like the engines are connected to the rotor shaft via chains; if one engine fails, does the shaft lock up or are there free wheeling devices? There was a guy, Manolis IIRC, who used to post on F1 Technical about his 2 stroke flying pogo stick; this actually looks safer.
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From: Budapest
You know, its a jolly good job the early aviation pioneers didn't worry about the kind of small details you lot are worried about, if they had aviation would never have progressed beyond Montgolfier 😊!
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From: UK
Right, so you would be happy to strap into this and take off in it ?
Winemaker: those look like centrifugal clutches on the engines driving the chains. So if an engine failed it would probably disconnect itself from the output shaft.
But even so...............
Winemaker: those look like centrifugal clutches on the engines driving the chains. So if an engine failed it would probably disconnect itself from the output shaft.
But even so...............
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From: Budapest
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From: Canada
IMPORTANT: Vortech offers the G-1 plans as a curiosity for those interested in homebuilt helicopters because of its intriguing size and simplicity; however, Vortech has no direct experience with either the design or flight of this model and so cannot and does not endorse this as a proven aircraft. While people have reported building and flying this model, it appears that those flying versions were variations or enhancements of the original design. The G-1’s control system is minimal; also, this craft will not autorotate.
Avoid imitations
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From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
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From: Europe
15 Anniversary
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From: USA
It's also fixed pitch, there is no cyclic or collective control.
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From: USA
It's also fixed pitch, there is no cyclic or collective control.
I don't know, why that thing does not autorotate.
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: near an aeroplane
There are some photos of a different project here: Ultralight G 1 Helicopter : ULTRALIGHT G 1 HELICOPTER A complete G1
It looks like a direct drive from engine(s) to rotor, without any option to adjust cyclic other than shifting your weight around. You would need some sort of clutch/freewheel option to allow autorotation. Mind you, there will not be a lot of energy in that rotor disc anyway and you would also need a collective control to enable you to arrest the downward motion. I'm still not sure how any kind of control is applied to those blades.
It looks like a direct drive from engine(s) to rotor, without any option to adjust cyclic other than shifting your weight around. You would need some sort of clutch/freewheel option to allow autorotation. Mind you, there will not be a lot of energy in that rotor disc anyway and you would also need a collective control to enable you to arrest the downward motion. I'm still not sure how any kind of control is applied to those blades.
