|
|
Questions and Answers
1. What design characteristics make up the Skywalker?
The Skywalker VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft is designed utilizing a one piece molded bifurcated air duct. This arrangement supports the centrally located blade assembly. The pilot sits between overhead outlet ducts and controls the aircraft from a secure padded cockpit seat. The operator is not placed in a standing position, either above or below the rotating blades. The pilot’s weight is steadfast to the craft design and body leaning or weight shifting to influence flight direction and control is unnecessary. Flight and motion controls incorporate 21st century electronic linear actuators and independently operated hand joysticks.
Another divergence includes a semi-enclosed counter rotating, dual shaft propeller design. Utilizing counter-rotating blades allow for a reduced blade disk area, without increasing the overall propeller diameter. A planetary gear transmission mated to the Subaru engine drives the fixed dual shaft propellers. The output spindles operate at approximately 2,000-2,500 rpm.
Numerous Skywalker VTOL features include:
• Computer designed and modeled VTOL aircraft
• Top mounted single component bifurcated air duct
• Semi-enclosed ducted fan housing
• Centrally located cockpit
• Pilot/passenger remain seated rather than standing
• Dual propeller system
• Counter rotating blades
• Instrument panel and future NASA ‘Highway in the Sky” display
• Flight wings and canard aileron control surfaces
• Electronic fly-by-wire individual joystick motion control hardware
• Precise kit-built assemblies
• Molded graphite composite honeycomb cored parts
• Built-in ballistic parachute safety system
• Optional air intake graphite mesh foreign object filter screen
• Takeoff and land without a runway
• The extreme personal airborne vehicle
2. What additional key innovations enhance the Skywalker VTOL?
Innovative key designs include incorporating a counter rotating, dual shaft, multi-blade propeller system. The blade and all power generating items are fixtured in a vertical right angle drive unit, thus eliminating several complicated, expensive, and heavy drive-train components. This drive system technique significantly reduces mechanical dependencies, as listed:
• No engine driveshaft or flex connectors
• Requires only one 90 degree angle drive unit
• No bearing supported belt drive systems
• All propeller blade housings are stationary and non-tilting
• No engine connecting drive-train universal joints
• The engine is secured to the airframe and requires no articulating joints
• Mechanically generated torque is nullified
• Requires only one integrated planetary gear transmission
The Skywalker objectives require keeping the VTOL innovative in design with minimal failure-prone mechanical components, and still provide a unique controllable aircraft. However, history has revealed that a feasible VTOL program is a challenging venture in the aircraft world, and consequently we respect the many efforts regarding this ancestry.
3. What is the estimated purchase price?
Estimates place initial production figures including the turbine engine and complete assembly kit, (depending on final drive-train components, avionics, and control equipment) at $137,900 to $159,900. Compared to other VTOL aircraft, the Skywalker will offer excellent value, utility, safety and performance. If you can find another VTOL aircraft kit of this quality including the Subaru engine and propeller drive assemblies for less money, you may want to buy several.
4. Does it operate like a helicopter?
It operates in principle like a helicopter, with full VTOL capabilities, but does not require the large main rotor or extended tail blade. It functions within a much smaller operations area and generates reduced noise. The Skywalker's ducted fan provides increased blade protection by surrounding the entire propeller tips, whereas helicopter blades completely penetrate the surrounding environment.
5. How does the pilot control the Skywalker?
Forward, reverse, neutral, right and left movements occur by displacing the propeller generated thrust using moveable vector airfoils attached beneath each exit duct. This arrangement eliminates complex linkage, swivel nozzles and articulating propeller drive systems. The airfoils are linked by electronic linear actuators, and controlled with an adjustable electrically operated multi-axis joystick. Motion direction is generated by independently moving the hand joystick located in the cockpit arm rests.
Flight wing and canard aileron control systems manage the Pitch, Yaw and Roll. The canard wing features movable ailerons for Pitch control. The flight wing ailerons move independently controlling Yaw, (right and left) and the blending controls Roll. An adjustable electronic multi-axis operated joystick coordinates this fly-by-wire motion with precise action.
Other controls, similar to automotive items will influence altitude change. As engine speed increases, it automatically accelerates the blade rotation, and generates additional lift.
Primary to this system is the counter rotating blade assembly. With each blade set rotating in equal but opposite directions, the unbalanced torque is offset. This eliminates the tail blade assembly found on helicopters, and counter-acts mechanically generated thrust.
6. What safety devices will the Skywalker include?
The production units will incorporate a ballistic parachute mounted in the lower rear fuselage housing for extremely rare emergency landings. Four enclosed nylon straps connect from the lower parachute and secure at the top intake housing. The pilot controlled parachute activation allows the entire aircraft and occupants to descend to its normal ground contact landing position in emergences.
To prevent propeller blade damage from foreign object ingestion, an optional open mesh graphite rod air intake screen can mounted above the multi-blade housing. The openings are large enough to provide unrestricted airflow, but adequately small to prevent object penetration.
Every effort is utilized to reduce weight, increase strength, and provide a functionally safe aircraft. Aluminum tubing and metal will be incorporated into areas necessary for the maximum benefit, and advanced composites will occupy the majority of the construction.
Safe landings occur through three attachment points using an interchangeable support system located distal from from the aircraft's body center to accommodate various load bearing options. This unibody design not only assists with safety, but additionally provides:
• Lighter aircraft weight
• Decreased number of assembled parts
• Lower overall purchase price
• Improved reliability
• Increased landing stability
• Interchangeable pads for other wheel, ball or ski inserts
7. What distance can the Skywalker travel?
Functionally, it provides an air transportation flight range of about 300 miles. The design parameters allow performance as a commuter vehicle and are not intended to replace aircraft for long distance treks. The Skywalker excels in shorter point-to-point flights.
8. When will the Skywalker be available for purchase?
Expectedly, the prototype will require about 18 more months in proving the engine, dual propellers and control systems. As it advances through testing, the company will begin accepting orders for future customer purchases and anticipates scheduling a select number of first year production units for manufacture. Only the latest phase or design will advance towards finalization and production.
9. Will the Skywalker require a pilot’s license?
The Skywalker will not quality for ultralight status, and thus require a pilot’s license to operate. However, it may function within the recent FAA Sports Pilots License category, making it even more attractive, affordable and enjoyable to operate.
10. Is the Skywalker aircraft FAA certified?
Currently, there are no immediate plans to certify the Skywalker VTOL under FAA regulations as a commercial VTOL aircraft. This could more than triple the purchase costs, and delay production another three to four years.
11. What is the Experimental Aircraft Category?
There are two main FAA categories for aircraft, either Certified or Experimental Home Built (also known as Kit-built). The Skywalker VTOL will qualify under the experimental home built aircraft category. The experimental kit-built allows the customer to provide the assembly labor, and assume aircraft ownership liability. The aircraft owner provides the overall effort for the aircrafts construction requirements.
12. As a Kit-built VTOL, what is the estimated assembly time?
Incorporating a low number of precisely designed molded composite pieces, it is expected to involve less assembly time. Many parts will be trimmed, predrilled and require only final assembly, finish and painting. The anticipated time is 300 hours or less for completing the aircraft, not including painting.
The kit requires no extra parts to be made; sheet metal assemblies finished, or designing additional composite fabricated items. In general, the entire aircraft can be assembled using only the supplied hardware to secure the individual parts together.
13. Does the Skywalker require sheltering in a hangar?
The Skywalker's low height and compact configuration incorporating removable wings allows the entire craft to fit into a standard sized garage, thus eliminating airport hanger expenses.
