ALOFT: AH-100 Build (new title)

[u2builder]

Yes, love the midwing and nice integration of the tail surfaces with the wing, very pretty glider from every angle. I assume the nose will be designed to accept a motor, hopefully a rather generic motor and not special glider motor (because often the special one I want is out of stock for a rather unknown amount of time).

Ah, I was looking at the previous red rendition when I wrote this. I see the motor! The glider looks lovely from all these angles as well.

 

[Wayne]

Thank you!

Yes, targeting this emax motor:

Emax GT2218 1100KV

Light, powerful and very well made, the Emax GT series of motors are a great choice for your next airplane.

alofthobbies.com

Should give good performance with an estimated 1.5 thrust to weight ratio. Can do 4 or 5 full throttle motor burns to altitude with a little 850 battery feeding it. On a thermally active day, that should be a lot of flying time.

We are basing calcs on the prototype with the Prelude fuselage. We used an old Multiplex inrunner with gear box on that model and ended up needing a big chunk of ballast under that very heavy motor to make CG along with what I recall was a rather large battery. With this new fuselage the All Up Weight (AUW) should be substantially lighter. But still working with the heavier weight to be safe. Emax offers smaller motors for more weight savings should that be desirable.

 

[u2builder]

That's a good choice of motor. I have used several with no issues.

I love the balsa fuselage. I've built many of the vintage ones recently and they are very stiff. The trick is to avoid the banana shape. With the vintage kits and plans it takes a lot of careful jigging. Having built the Micro Wanderer I think the many laser cut tabs between the sides and top will go a long way toward preventing the banana. The tops and bottoms pretty much lock in the sides. The AH-100 should be a great kit to build and fly. I for one am glad you and the team are back on it full steam ahead.

 

[Wayne]

Worked on the vertical design and covered them in film.

 

[G-man]

This fuselage is looking real good to me.
I applaud the design thinking to keep the airframe light.

 

[Sandman]

I for one am really excited to see this design come to fruition.
I really enjoy building, with all the thought put into making it an easy build,
while incorporating advanced design elements, it's looking like a real winner.
Count me in as soon as kits become available.

 

[Wayne]

Anyone care to venture a guess what this might be? Still in progress, but you might be able to figure it out.

 

[Wayne]

Guess you are all out having fun on a Friday night.. Here is a much larger clue for you:

 

[Chris]

OH, Oh, oh, I know !!!

 

[Wayne]

Test print loaded up:

 

[Red]

Test print loaded up:
View attachment 24040

Looks like a weighty solution

 

[G-man]

I thought I was looking at balsa "shear webs" to strengthen a 3D printed part,
until I read the photo caption. Now I know. Good idea.

 

[Wayne]

I may be on vacation but I sneak in an hour here and there for AH-100 work.

Reworked the tail some. Should be the final shapes now, just some under the skin connections for the fuselage left to do.

Bulkheads and pushrods coming together:

 

[Tmcfarland]

Interesting, are those servos mounted sideways? If so what would be involved in replacing them. Also will horizontal stab be removable. Looking good.

 

[Wayne]

Interesting, are those servos mounted sideways? If so what would be involved in replacing them. Also will horizontal stab be removable. Looking good.

Very simple, open the side door (not shown) and remove the screws, replace servo and screws, close door.

I have debated the removable tail on this and on the Lele. The Lele is small enough not to need it, but this model is big enough that it could make sense. If it can be done with minimal weight gain, I may well add this. As drawn right now it would be glued in place.

 

[Tmcfarland]

Very simple, open the side door (not shown) and remove the screws, replace servo and screws, close door.

I have debated the removable tail on this and on the Lele. The Lele is small enough not to need it, but this model is big enough that it could make sense. If it can be done with minimal weight gain, I may well add this. As drawn right now it would be glued in place.

I was just curious. When I can I like to leave the tails on. Less wear and tear and theres always the possibility of forgetting to hook up the elevator pushrod.

 

[G-man]

I'm with Tmcfarland, leaving the tail parts mounted most of the time.
Removable horizontal does come in real handy when packing for storage and shipping, though.
Can the horizontal be mounted with nylon bolts to keep it light?

 

[Wayne]

Quick little update, this is what I am thinking for a door for the ballast and servo access. I still am not in love with this, so don't be bummed if it vanishes after the prototype.

Here is the tail boom with bulkheads and pushrod routing. I am showing the triangle stock in this image to help illustrate how much fiber we are running. You can also see the flange added to the ballast camber to adhere the side sheeting. There will be plywood doublers in the area too.

I still need to work out the front canopy and bulkheads. They are a bit more complicated due to the shape of the fuselage I have drawn up, and my desire to make the canopy a little easier to build. Still playing with some ideas for the canopy, that is why you have not shown one yet. A bit of a road block for me as I debate a couple of ideas.

 

[Tmcfarland]

Quick little update, this is what I am thinking for a door for the ballast and servo access. I still am not in love with this, so don't be bummed if it vanishes after the prototype.
View attachment 24094
View attachment 24095

Here is the tail boom with bulkheads and pushrod routing. I am showing the triangle stock in this image to help illustrate how much fiber we are running. You can also see the flange added to the ballast camber to adhere the side sheeting. There will be plywood doublers in the area too.
View attachment 24096
I still need to work out the front canopy and bulkheads. They are a bit more complicated due to the shape of the fuselage I have drawn up, and my desire to make the canopy a little easier to build. Still playing with some ideas for the canopy, that is why you have not shown one yet. A bit of a road block for me as I debate a couple of ideas.

My Prime res 3 has the servos mounted upside down and a hatch on the bottom side of the fuselage. It is suppose to be held on with magnets. But in practice the magnets just did not hold. Since I do not need to open the hatch often I just used an alternate method. Scotch tape!!!

 

[Wayne]

Ballast is gone!

Motor mount just about done. Think I know what I will be doing for the canopy.

Getting closer. A few things left for the prototype:

• canopy
• small servo hatch
• plywood doublers
• couple of partial bulkheads around the canopy
• then all of the final touches to make it a functional kit