Larry Dudeck's 1/12th P-166
Power supplied by two 6v S400 motors, 2.33:1 gear boxes, 8x6 props. The battery is an 8XCP1700 pack.
Final specs :AUW = 50 oz (1.418 Kg)
Net wing area = 374 sq.in.(24.13 DM)
Wing loading = 19.25 oz/sq.ft.(58.8 gm/DM)
No landing gear, hand launched.
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Larry sent us an update after the Aircraft's first flight:
First flight was Saturday, 3/21. Set the timer for 6 minutes, and gave the P166 a good shove into a 5 MPH breeze. The twin pushers had lots of thrust, giving the P166 a very nice rate of climb. Took it up to a comfortable altitude. A little right aileron trim plus a lot of up elevator had it flying level. Eased the throttle back to a glide. The P166 looses altitude faster than what I would like, not exactly like a brick but a glider she isn't. Put the P166 into a stall, falls off to the left, nothing dramatic.
Cruised around, left circuits, right circuits, a couple of figure 8's. Nothing daring. It looks like it might be a handful in a slow, tight turn, as when trying to line up for a landing. The lack of dihedral might make for some interesting low and slow flying. No aerobatics for a while with this one.
Timer went off at 6 minutes, lined up for a landing into the wind. The wide flat bottom allowed a nice greaser of a landing, coming to rest in about 15 feet. The pack still had some reserve, perhaps a minute or two. The wind started to pick up, decided one flight was enough for the maiden as my knees were shaking.
The CofG seems to back a bit forward, I need to move the pack back a little. Next flight I'll move the pack back about an eigth of an inch.
Larry.
On the 30th of July 2005 the Piaggio Website received the following, rather sad, email from Larry:
It is with heavy heart that I must report the loss of this plane. It stalled during a low, slow turn while preparing to land. The best winds for the flying site I use are either south or southwest. The day of the crash, the winds were from the east. In retrospect, I should have made the turn at a higher speed. The plane came down, nose first. The fuse was crushed back to the wing root. The only survivors were the wing and the empanage.
I don't know if I will make another fuse or not.
Larry.