Videos: Sweet 'Wheel Landings' With The Under-6-Pound RC C-47!

 I expect that you need to have some taildragger experience in your logbook (or loads of RC taildragger time) to really appreciate how cool it is to see this 10 foot wingspan C-47 making such wonderful 'wheel landings'. If you aren't fluent in 'taildragger', 'wheel landings' are the ones where the tail stays nice and high as the airplane approaches the runway well above stall speed, then the main wheels are (preferably) gently planted on the runway as some forward pressure on the stick is applied to hold the airplane on the ground... hopefully without some sort of bounce, bounce, bounce thing happening. Wheel landings are a real challenge in many aircraft but they are sooo much fun when you know what you're doing. Add a nice grass runway to the mix and you have the stuff avgeek dreams are made of!

Video screenshot of the 10 foot span C-47 and shadow... pure awesome fun!

 
 Given the often twitchy nature of small RC aircraft, wheel landings are usually extremely difficult to master. However, my friend Gary in New Mexico with his awesome 10 foot wingspan C-47, that weighs less than 6 pounds, has it mastered! The very light wing loading and extra large size allow for incredibly realistic looking wheel landings. Lots of practice and some bona fide skill bring it all together beautifully.

 The video above is just one nice trip around the pattern for you to enjoy, shown twice tho, once from the 'hatcam' and once from the onboard cam. (check out that middle-of-nowhere flying field!) The video below is several touch-and-goes giving you several more great wheel landings to appreciate.  #LoveToFly

CoolPix: Retro-Art Desktop Pic Of The Amazing Bugatti 100p (Out Of The Past)

(click pic for hi-res)  Beautiful recent artwork of the Bugatti 100p by SkyGateCreations

 To me the Bugatti 100p is one of the most beautiful airplanes ever designed. It's also pretty fascinating that it never actually flew... but of course an extensive project to build a flying replica has been in the works for years now, and it's getting very close to completion. Check out the Bugatti 100p project on facebook for lots of pix and info on the replica.

 Recently a facebook friend of mine (Jenessa) created this fabulous art-deco drawing of the Bugatti and she put it on her SkyGateCreations page on deviantART where you can actually purchase a print of it. Jenessa also created the art for the 'Griffon' stickers that the Precious Metal team had available at Reno this year, and the airplane is wearing one of them too right behind the spinner. She's got talent AND a love for aviation! (especially for the really cool stuff : )

 Jenessa agreed to let me make the Bugatti available to you as a desktop image so you can celebrate the amazing Bugatti 100p in awesome style. To make it work best for desktop use, she removed the words leaving just the stunning lines of the airplane. I hope you download the size that works for you and enjoy. And thanx Jenessa for your great work!

Bugatti 100p by SkyGateCreations desktop pix:

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Poll: Am I A Genius Or Just Messed Up In The Head? (Empress 400 Revisited)

My very modern yet retro Empress 400 airliner design from 2010 (400mph cruise)

Check out the fascinating details on the Empress 400

 I admit I'm feeling a bit frisky today. After weeks and weeks of intense ceramic tile installing on a very large job I finally got paid for all that work. That'll do wonders to add frisk to your day! I'm also heading out for a few days of fun at The Henry Ford in Michigan soon and will be getting there in a 2014 Ford Escape that we're now leasing after trading in the 2006 G6. 240 EcoBoost horsepower (turbocharged I-4) pushed out by just 2,000 cc of displacement makes this little 4WD Escape accelerate like crazy! (hmm, I wonder how well a 2.0 EcoBoost  would convert for use on something like an RV-8?... and no, I'm not receiving any remuneration for all the Ford plugs here)

 And now on to the point. I had a reason this morning to go back and check out my Empress 400 retro airliner design from back in 2010, and wow I was really impressed! I like the way I think : )  That got me to wondering, am I some sort of fringe genius on aircraft design or am I just seriously messed up in the head? For entertainment purposes only, I thought I'd ask for your opinion. (even if y'all indicate that I'm messed up in the head, I will refuse your further advice to be institutionalized)

 So, your task is to go check out this post from 2010:  Empress 400 RetroLiner Details - C’mon, Dream With Me. Then, once you've soaked up all that radial engine retroliner goodness, come back here and vote in the poll below.

 If you're confused or offended by all of this, please just vote for 'bacon!' and enjoy the rest of your day!

Poll: Awesome Or Ugly? The Vought V-173 Flying Pancake

Is it a flying pancake, bug or just alien?  The 1942 Vought V-173 all-wing testbed

 I admit that my desire with the 'awesome or ugly' posts is mostly aimed at letting you know that I think the particular highly-unusual aircraft design is indeed awesome. But obviously there's no point or purpose to AirPigz without YOU, so that's why I put a poll with this so I can see if the majority of you think like I do. Interestingly, you've agreed with me (sometimes just barely, other times wildly) on every one so far except for the Shorts SC.1 VTOL testbed. I'd like to take a moment and let you know that I think this level agreeability speaks very highly of y'all... I'm impressed that you have such a fondness for unconventional thinking. Bravo!

It doesn't get much more unusual than the Vought V-173!

 This time around the chosen aircraft is the Vought V-173 'Flying Pancake'. There was only one built, with the first flight taking place in 1942. With that high deck angle and those massive props, it's easy to think of this all-wing testbed as a bit of a beast, but the reality is that it weighs about the same as an older Cessna 172 (both the empty and gross weights) and it's only got a total of 160hp coming from two 80hp Continental engines. There was a dream of evolving the design into the Navy Vought XF5U Flapjack fighter which had dimensions similar to the V-173 but it was powered by two 1,350hp engines and had a gross weight over 16,000 pounds! Two XF5U's were built but with the war over and the transition to jet aircraft underway, the Flapjack program was cancelled with nothing more than just some fast-taxi hops being accomplished.

Recently restored V-173 now at the Frontiers of Flight Museum  (photo: NASM blog)

 The one-and-only Vought V-173 was recently restored over an eight year period by retired employees of Vought.  The airplane is owned by the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum but will be on loan for at least 10 years to the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas Texas. You can learn more in this post on the National Air & Space Museum blog.

 I'll add that I am so mesmerized by the V-173 that if I had the resources I would absolutely consider building a flying replica of the aircraft. Can't you just see me arriving at Oshkosh 2017 in a beautiful replica Flying Pancake! This thing has 'me' written all over it : )

 Vote now... do you think the Vought V-173 is awesome, ugly, or awesome AND ugly?

Videos: Uh Oh... Foxbat Lands On CIVILIAN Aircraft Carrier! (The End Is Near)

 As is so often the case these days, things aren't always what they first appear to be. With that in mind, no, I'm not talking about the Russian MiG-25 Foxbat, and the ship in the video technically isn't a 'civilian aircraft carrier'... however, what takes place in this video is almost as hard to believe as a MiG-25 on a civilian aircraft carrier.

 What we really have here, from back in October, is an A-22 Foxbat Light Sport Aircraft from the Ukraine making a landing and takeoff from the deck of a unique cargo ship that has a large flat top deck. The ship's relatively narrow deck, the side railings, and the small tower right off the bow make this whole effort here one giant step over the crazy-line. What I mean to say is DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME! I really have to wonder how you get permission to do something like this. I guess we'll have to watch and see if the video gets pulled before long... a good indication that there was no permission.

Video screenshot: Ukrainian A-22 Foxbat landing on cargo ship at sea... just for fun

 Given that the ship was travelling at 9 knots with a 14 knot headwind, the Foxbat was barely moving forward at touchdown. However, the turbulence coming off the front of the boat greatly increased the risk of failure/tragedy. And while the takeoff looks like a human catapult system, I actually think those guys were doing more to keep the airplane clear of the railings on the short takeoff roll.

 Screenshot showing the 'Sea Takeoff Using People Initiated Departure' (STUPID)

 Ok, I'll admit that there's a lot about this that I love, but I honestly feel these kinds of crazy acts are best done without any video evidence to incriminate those who really should have known better. I'm just glad it worked and no one was hurt. I do think the end is near tho... for at least one person's job, maybe several!

 The video below is a longer version that can be watched in HD.

Video: Beaver Over The Bay (More 'This Is Why We Fly') #MustSee

 I hopped on over to vimeo.com today to search for something different in the way of a great avgeek video to share... the video above is the one I decided was just what I was looking for. It's really a promo of sorts for Seaplane Adventures in San Francisco, but I was pleased with how this almost four minute video captured the beauty and majesty of flying. What I didn't realize at first is that it's just the short version of the real video which is almost 18 minutes long.

 So I watched the 18 minute video (posted below) and I must say that it might be the best video I have ever seen at capturing the depth of why I love to fly. If you can afford the 18 minutes out of your day, you MUST watch the long version below. You might not get tears in your eyes like I did, but I wish you would... it would tell me a lot about you.

Screenshot of the Seaplane Adventures Beaver over the Golden Gate Bridge

 I admit the long version of this video might be more powerful to me since it's about a Beaver on floats flying out of the San Francisco bay, after all, I was born in that city... I'm pretty sure the hospital where I entered this world had a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. So a beautifully shot video that goes in-depth about a genuine love for flying set in my birth city, including views of the Golden Gate from the air, is pretty much guaranteed to make me emotional. But I think the stories of flying shared by the people in the video stand a good chance of moving you too.

 Watch it. Share it.  #LoveToFly

Video screenshot of the throttle quadrant on the Beaver: nostalgic perfection!

Seaplane Adventures full version from John Vigran on Vimeo

The Must-See Post Of Must-See Posts (Avgeekery!)

Click the pic (now!) to see all 308 posts in the AirPigz 'Must-See' category!

 If you're a bona fide avgeek then you need to take 10 minutes (or 3 hours) and check out the 'must-see' posts I've put up in the last 5 years ... it's a widely diverse collection of avgeekery that should serve to inspire, entertain, excite and educate, all while causing your salivary glands to work overtime : )

AirPigz 'Must-See' category 

(Rutan Catbird pix from August 14, 2013 post)

Veterans Day 2013... Thank You For Your Service

This video found on youtube does a good job of saying what I'd like to say:

To those who have served the United States, Thank You.

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 American power and freedom brought to us by the men and women who serve in all branches of the military of the United States of America.

Free Desktop CoolPix Of Thom Richard And Precious Metal At Reno 2013!

(click pic for hi-res)  Precious Metal and Thom Richard at Reno 2013

 I posted a version of this image as a CoolPix a few weeks back but I didn't offer it in the various desktop sizes as I sometimes do to make it easy for y'all to use it for a computer screen background... and then I had a reason to shape one up for a friend in the 1366x768 size the other day. After I did I thought maybe now was a good time to go back and get that done for anyone wanting a pretty nice pic of Precious Metal and Thom Richard in the new Reno 2013 paint.

 So, what you've really got here is a new CoolPix image above that's cropped tighter than the original and then below are the slightly backed out versions of the original image in the desktop sizes. (I hope that all makes sense : )

 I must say I'm a pretty big fan of what Thom has done with this Griffon powered P-51 in the last few years, and I think the Reno Air Races have been a lot more colorful and enjoyable with PM in the mix. And like Thom, I hold out hope that there's a collection of tweaks that'll make this airplane a potential front-runner in the future. One thing is for sure, it'll be a real adventure keeping an eye on the Precious Metal team!

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Must-See Story About The UTA Flight 772 Crash Memorial In The Sahara Desert

Google Earth view of the 200' diameter UTA Flight 772 memorial built in 2007

 A link to a fascinating story passed by my facebook news feed this morning... the link was to a recent re-post of the story on viralnova.com from a couple days ago, but it seem the original collection of info and images are from this post on imgur.com from about 6 months ago.

 I highly recommend you click one of the links above to go check out the amazing memorial created in the Sahara Desert to remember the 170 lives lost onboard UTA Flight 772, a DC-10 that broke apart inflight due to a terrorists bombing back in 1989.

 This memorial is so large that it's easily seen on Google Earth. I captured the image above after simply searching Google Earth for 'UTA 772' and zooming in.

 It's a stunning piece of work.

The incredible UTA Flight 772 memorial seen from the ground  (photo: imgur.com)